Torchwood Fest
by Fafsernir
Summary: All my participations for the Torchwood Fest on Tumblr, celebrating the 10 years of Torchwood this year!
1. Day 1: Favourite Character

_Okay guys! So, it's Torchwood Fest on Tumblr (#torchwoodfest), my first participation in a Fest ever! I'll thus be posting everyday both on Tumblr (first, as it's where it's happening, my blog's_ trashmel _) and FF! I hope you guys like this!_

 _Many many many many thanks & my undying gratitude to ceywoozle (she wrote a long gorgeous post-cyberwoman Torchwood fic on Ao3, that I strongly advice you to read) who beta'd all of those fics and helped me with my English with brilliant and sometimes hilarious corrections ;)_

 **Day One - Favourite character**

As the sun rose, the Torchwood Hub was already awake. If even the boss was still in bed, Ianto Jones wasn't. He had trouble sleeping, and as captivating as it was watching his lover while he was quiet and smiling, Ianto couldn't lay awake for hours.

So he was cleaning up. It was a way of not thinking, or maybe it somehow helped him do so. He didn't always have time to clean the mess the whole team made in one day – Especially not when he slept over, a circumstance that usually meant he and Jack had been too tired to go back to Ianto's flat – so he did it in the early morning. He liked quiet, he liked when nobody was around – Owen especially was an expert at messing up a place Ianto had just cleaned – and he didn't really mind this position of glorified butler.

As he was finishing with Jack's office, Jack came out of his little room. Ianto smiled slightly and Jack came to him and kissed him on the temple. They didn't speak, but they were used to this. Jack went through a few files, without messing them, and acknowledged how clean the place was with a nod, then disappeared again for a shower. In the meantime, Ianto moved onto the kitchen, and by the time Jack was back Ianto had finished cleaning and had brewed two coffees. Sometimes they would speak, but this morning they didn't. It was something that had become routine for them, this sitting quietly to drink together before the Hub came to life.

As usual, Tosh arrived next, and as usual began the day by accepting a coffee and quietly joining in. Next, it was Gwen/Owen – though sometimes it was Owen/Gwen – and with her/him came the noise. She/He and Owen/Gwen rarely took the time to drink quietly while seated around a table, but Ianto didn't mind, and when Owen/Gwen arrived a few minutes later, the noise level increased yet again and the Hub was finally awake.

Ianto took the dirty dishes to the kitchen to wash put all his cleaning equipment away, then straightening his tie he made his way back to the main room. There, he sat at a workstation for a few minutes, went to Jack's office for paperwork, then made his way up to the Tourist Office where he pretended to work for the City. He was, just not in the way people would think when they came in.

The morning was calm, only Jack, Gwen and Owen going out to take care of a couple of harmless aliens, and three curious tourists asking for information which Ianto gave with a smile. He closed the place before midday and went for a walk to order takeaway, then to do some shopping. He bought a tie for himself, one having died the previous day, then got the groceries for the Hub. Some food, mainly snacks for Owen, a lot of beers – for a working place it really was a lot – basic supplies that included toilet papers and soap mainly, and of course, coffee. He collected the takeaway on his way back and when he arrived at the Hub they all gathered together in the conference room to eat. Ianto stayed after everyone to clean up, though Tosh helped him a bit, then went back to work when he made his way up to the Archives.

It was a calm afternoon, as well, so Ianto stayed there for a while, only coming out when Jack asked him, through his comm, where he was. When he walked back to the main room, Jack seemed to be waiting for him, holding Ianto's jacket. Ianto put it on with Jack's help then followed Jack outside. They walked home slowly, deciding they weren't in a hurry. Of course, because it was Wales, just as they were halfway there, it decided to pour. They almost ran the rest of the way to Ianto's flat, laughing because sometimes they behaved like five years old and jumping in puddles had sounded like a funny thing to do.

They changed once home, though not without making fun of each other, and finally decided to cook something warm for dinner which they lazily ate in front of the TV. Ianto got up to put the dirty dishes in the sink and prepared two teas, and when he back with them, Jack swallowed his in a gulp then lay with his head on Ianto's laps while Ianto slowly sipped through his. They watched the screen when they weren't talking, Ianto playing with Jack's hair until Jack fell asleep. He woke after an hour, Ianto not having moved, and after turning off the TV they made their way to their bedroom, slumping down in the comfy bed together.

It was as normal as a day could get for Ianto, who smiled at this thought. It was sometimes hard but at the end of the day he felt rather happy with what he had. And as if hearing his thoughts, Jack started to kiss his neck and quietly asked him if he was sleeping. Ianto answered positively then turned with a chuckle when he heard Jack's sigh. Ianto kissed him, feeling him smile under his lips, and brought his arms around Jack's neck.

Yup, definitely a good life.


	2. Day 1: Teamwork

_Again, thanks to ceywoozle! It was all very confusing at first and she helped me!_

 _Written for Torchwood Fest, Day One: "Teamwork"_

 **Day One - Teamwork**

Tosh and Gwen winced, Jack crossed his arms, grinning, and Ianto raised a surprised eyebrow. Owen's arms, up to the elbows, were red. It was a strange shade of red, very bright, almost shining, clearly unreal or at least not from Earth. Which, considering he had been cutting an alien open, wasn't that surprising. What was surprising was the victorious smile on Owen's face. He was usually angry when his white coat was stained, but this time he seemed happy. Work-related happy, because he had made a good discovery, as he was trying to explain.

They had welcomed five aliens recently, seeking shelter. They had been living on Earth for a while, away from society and any human contact, but they had one by one started falling ill, thus had been forced to ask for help. They knew about Torchwood and had decided they couldn't keep on living all by themselves. They didn't want to invade humanity or anything, but Torchwood had put them in quarantine anyway. In case they were contagious, first, but also because they weren't sure the aliens could be trusted. Torchwood still was trying to help them survive, thanks to the most recently deceased alien which allowed Owen to understand what was wrong. And he had just now found out that they had a very slow allergic response to the oxygen on Earth. He knew what was making them ill now. He just needed to find out how to make the antidote.

Tosh left the bay to run a search on her computer, checking for the information and components they would need, efficiently working until she had everything she wanted.

Gwen went down to the cells to free the aliens from quarantine and talk to them, after checking with Owen that they definitely weren't contagious. They first seemed angry – they might have left them down there without giving them information – but she managed to calm them, thanks to Tosh's translation program which allowed her to communicate in a very basic Standard Galactic. The aliens – Xueh – were quite happy to learn that they could be healed, as one of them was slowly starting to die.

One kept talking with Gwen, learning as much as she could about Earth and Cardiff while the youngest one – his Earth name was Dylan, because humans in the 21st century couldn't pronounce his alien name right – spent his time with Ianto. He really loved his coffee and kept asking for more, biting Ianto's hand every time he was done. Ianto hadn't reacted the first time, almost used to strange things happening in his life, and the sensation of being bitten actually felt good. Jack had explained, after speaking to Dylan's father, because he didn't really like the idea of someone biting Ianto, that it was a familiar way to thank someone on their planet. They released some chemical – some alien name that even Jack didn't know – that left the receiver as happy as the giver. The Xue had also informed Jack that Dylan was trying to flirt, which Jack had not, of course, said to Ianto. Not that he was afraid that Ianto would flirt back, but... well, maybe he was. But he sure wasn't jealous. But still, did the alien have to bite him every single time? And why wasn't Ianto annoyed by this? Jack wanted to bite him in public too. Ugh, well, maybe not bite him, but Ianto usually didn't even want to kiss him in front of the team. Something about civility and respect. Well letting someone bite you was disrespectful. Jack frowned at his own thoughts and dismissed them, turning to the work at hand.

They effectively managed to prepare the antidote, both Owen and Jack working carefully with the components which Tosh had found and which Ianto had retrieved. Gwen filed away as much information as she could on their species and other aliens forms they knew, and it didn't take them a lot of time to help the Xueh to go back to their life.

At the end of the day, after the Xueh had left, the team slumped into different seats, except for Ianto, who made one last coffee. Owen didn't stay long, soon going home to rest. Tosh followed him not long after, exhausted because she had stayed up late the night before, and Gwen stayed a bit longer, handing Ianto every note she had taken and talking to Jack. Meanwhile, Ianto went to the archives where he read the notes, corrected mistakes and some inaccuracies, then photocopied them to file away. When he got back to the main room, Gwen had gone, and Jack, apparently, was waiting for him.

Jack kissed Ianto, hard and long, and almost begged him to go home. Ianto agreed when he saw that Jack had cleaned up the place while he was upstairs, smiling softly at Jack's impatience that had, for once, been useful.

Jack set everything for the night and joined Ianto on the elevator, throwing a last proud glance at the Hub. Ianto chuckled because Jack sometimes looked so cute, so proud of what he had built. He had reason to be, but it was still funny to witness Jack's reaction after a good day of work.


	3. Day 2: Going Undercover

_Thanks ceywoozle again! ;D I don't know what happened there, I just sort of wrote randomly! ;)_

 _Written for Torchwood Fest, Day Two: "Going Undercover"_

 **Day Two - Going undercover**

The team was in the conference room, waiting for Jack to explain the plan. They had to go undercover, one member short, and it was important for them to listen and stick to the plan – which they sometimes didn't do – even if the plan was only to follow and spy someone. Their mission was to go to a club that the man – possibly alien – who they were going to be following owned. He was doing some interviews and one of them had to be hired to keep a close eye on him and try to put a bug in his office or, if lucky enough, on the man itself.

When Jack – with Gwen's help – finished explaining, he turned to Tosh. She was the one who was not coming with them as she had a huge scarf around her neck and walked around with at least three packs of tissues on her. She had been sick for two days now and even thought she was still coming to work, she was really slow at her job and her brain didn't register anything she did. Jack had told her to go home, but it was Tosh, so she kept coming.

"So, who are we?" Jack asked, as she was still managing this part of the mission, with Ianto's help.

"Ben Dover," Ianto answered in her stead, as she was blowing her nose.

"What? A time and a place, Ianto. I thought you didn't-"

"That's your name," Ianto interrupted. "Dover, Ben."

"... Seriously?" Jack was surprised, and Owen laughed.

"Owen, you're Dick Loser."

"Wait, what?" He said, not laughing any more. "Oh you didn't!"

"Yes, we did."

"Tosh what the hell, you always come up with something good!"

"She's sick, let her rest. We thought it would be fun."

"I kinda like it," Jack shrugged. "What's yours?" He winked at Ianto. Ianto rolled his eyes.

"Thomas Fisher."

"That's... normal. No joke?"

"Nope."

"Okay, okay, why does Tea-boy get the normal name and I have the dick joke?"

"'Cause you're a dick, Owen, just face the reality," Ianto sighed dramatically. Tosh laughed in her tissue, Jack grinned, and Gwen had trouble keeping a straight face.

"What's Gwen's?" Owen asked, wanting to change the subject. Anything but making fun of him.

"Destinee Hooker," Tosh said.

This time Jack laughed and Owen had a small satisfied smile; he wasn't the only one with a ridiculous name.

"Okay, I'm doing this only to see peoples faces when they hear Jack's name."

"And next time, we do not pair Tosh and Ianto together, please," Gwen added, and Owen nodded frantically. The two of them then got up, and left the room.

"Ben Dover, eh?" Jack said as Ianto was cleaning the table and taking the mugs on a plate.

Ianto winked at him and smiled, and it was enough for Jack.

"It was Tosh's idea," Ianto eventually said, and Tosh, still sitting, waved with a smile. Or at least she must have smiled, but the scarf hid it.

Jack shook his head and grinned as Tosh left. "I might just do that tonight, though," he whispered in his ear as Ianto was collecting the last mug.

"Do what?" Ianto asked innocently, bending over the table to wipe at a spot he had already cleaned. Jack growled but took advantage of the view. He heard Ianto chuckle and was surprised when Ianto turned and kissed him. He responded but Ianto pulled away, and Jack watched him go with a pout.

* * *

It was night when they all arrived, separately but at the indicated time for the interviews. The club was open and crowded, and when they and several other people arrived at the front doors, they were all asked to wait inside the club. The bouncer also informed them that they would be called when they'd be needed and that they could enjoy their time while waiting. Jack sneaked in behind Ianto who was dancing while trying to spot details in the club. They tried to make it look like they didn't know each other, and Ianto managed to whisper in Jack's ear what he had noticed, among other things. There were way too many bodyguards, and two strange looking men, even if he hadn't managed to spot what was strange about them – maybe Jack's hands on his hips weren't helping.

Then Jack was summoned to his interview with a tap on the shoulder and Ianto went to order something to drink. Looking at the bartender up close, Ianto realised after a while that the man didn't have any pupils and it was disturbing. So, definitely aliens, because he highly doubted that two people in the same room could have the same eye problem, if it even was a possible eye problem.

After a while, Ianto saw Gwen being called in and he frowned because Jack hadn't come back yet. Owen had long since come out and had told them he would wait outside.

Eventually, someone came to escort Ianto to the door, and just then, Jack's voice crackled in his ear.

"It's a trap, Gwen, Ianto, don't get yourself hired," he said, breathlessly. "I..."

He didn't finish his sentence and Ianto had to concentrate not to react. Jack was in danger. He had to do something.

"I'm out, I'm okay." Gwen's voice said in response. "They thought I wasn't made for the job, can you believe this?!"

"Oh yeah, boo, poor you," Owen answered.

"They're hiring whores, that's all!"

Tosh's voice came suddenly in. "Jack, are you okay? Ianto, you there?" The reasonable and intelligent one trying to stay on the mission.

But Ianto couldn't answer. He shook hands with the manager, noticed that neither he nor the bodyguards had pupils, and swallowed. He could manage this.

"So, Mr. Fisher..."

Ianto could hear Tosh's voice in the comm asking him if he was okay, but Ianto ignored her, concentrating on the job interview instead. And the fact that Jack was somewhere nearby. Maybe not alive any more. No, he was probably still alive, it was dumb to hire people just to kill them right away... Not that stupid, actually. But then, why would they have refused Owen or Gwen if their only goal was to kill?

* * *

Ianto ignored Jack's warning. He did everything he could to make sure they would hire him, and it worked. Well, they told him to follow them through another door, saying they'll think about him, which probably meant yes, or at least maybe. It still was better than no, goodbye.

As he calmly followed two of the bodyguards along a corridor, hands in his pocket – he was actually holding a knife, just in case – he tried to guess where he was heading. Wherever it was, it wasn't of Earth. The walls were of an unfamiliar metal and Ianto realised that they hadn't considered that the club itself might be an alien ship. At the end of the corridor there was a door and, still following the bodyguards, Ianto entered a very alien-looking room, which didn't seem to surprise the two men walking with him at all. Not that they should be surprised by something they were familiar with, but it was clear from their unconcern that they hadn't realised it didn't look Earthly at all.

"You said you could speak three languages?" one of the men suddenly asked.

"Currently, yes. I know a few words in other languages as well," Ianto answered absently, watching everywhere. Trying to find Jack.

His comm crackled in his ear. "He's in. Be careful, Ianto, we lost every contact to Jack."

Ianto didn't answer to Tosh but didn't cut the communication either in case he needed information or things went berserk. As a door opened in front of him and that one of the men – aliens, really – pushed him inside, he knew he was in trouble. And still no sign of Jack.

Ianto tightened his grip on his knife and turned, but he was alone. The door was closed. Locked. His comms were probably off as well, but he wasn't going to check because it wouldn't look natural in case he was being filmed. He turned again and this time he faced an alien and they didn't have a human appearance at all. They had a pretty cool suit, though. Not that it was important, Ianto reminded himself, and all of a sudden burst into action. It seemed to surprise the alien as they didn't react at all and were on the ground, a knife under their throat before they could yell from shock or for help. The skin was slippery under Ianto's legs, which he used to keep the alien's three arms under him, but rough under Ianto's hand, on what he had assumed to be the throat. It was always pretty confusing. And maybe not the best move if he was being watched but he had a hostage now.

"What do you want from us?" Ianto demanded.

"You're hurting me," the alien said in perfect English, and Ianto frowned. They didn't even try to defend themselves. "We didn't know this was a way of greeting."

"It's not..." Ianto answered automatically.

"My name's Ianto."

"What?" Ianto – the human one – asked, not understanding.

"We found it a few minutes ago in someone's mind."

"I don't understand..."

"I like it! Uncle gave it to me and said it belonged to a beautiful man, like me!" They – he – said proudly and Ianto let go and sat on his heels, confused. The alien looked so young he didn't want to hurt him.

"What's happening here?"

"You're not surprised by my appearance? Uncle said people could scream and not believe us, but he didn't say they would jump on us."

"Yeah, I'm... used to it, in a way. What did you mean by someone's mind?"

Ianto – the alien – straightened up and smiled while he crossed his legs. He really looked so young and innocent. And totally harmless. Ianto felt that maybe this was a big misunderstanding and that these aliens hadn't done anything bad.

* * *

"Ianto, don't do anything stupid!" Both Iantos turned. To Jack, who had just entered, panting because he had clearly run. He frowned when he saw Ianto and an alien sitting on the floor, talking. "What?"

"So," Ianto said. "You're obsessed with me?"

"Huh?"

Ianto smiled and stood up, smoothing down his suit. "You allowed them to see some things in your mind, so now this boy is named Ianto after myself."

Jack grinned when he understood what was happening. Jack had first thought the aliens wanted to kill, or experienced on him and had warned the team, but then when he had realised everything was fine he had been unable to contact them again. The aliens had explained to him that they had just come from the Rift and were trying to blend in, but needed information. They took people, asked them if they would agree to share their memories and thoughts, and learned like this. That was why they knew how to speak English and had wanted Ianto with them. They were scientists trying to learn and compare languages from different regions, planets, and when possible, times. They had accepted Ianto and Jack because they could both speak languages the aliens didn't already have.

Jack had agreed to let them into his mind, but had special training from the Time Agency, and the mere fact he was from the 51st century he had allowed him to only let them see memories related to languages, but had joked around by showing them some hot moments with Ianto. He hadn't thought they would give an Earth name to one of their own based on what they had seen of Ianto. He was pretty proud of that one, in the end.

After sharing what they knew, Jack and Ianto thought about letting the team know they were both fine. They went back out to the the club, shaking hands with the owner who thanked Ianto when he told them about the lack of pupils in their human form.

"Tosh?" Jack said into his comm when he and Ianto had finally left the club. "Still there?"

"She's half dying, how are you?" Gwen answered for her.

"Is she okay? We're fine, you can all go home if you want, we'll walk back to the Hub. Someone please force Tosh to get some rest."

"Dick, take her home if she's still at the Hub," Ianto added. Jack laughed beside him and they clearly heard Owen grunt.

"You'll pay for this."

Nobody answered and Jack wished them a good night before cutting the channel. Ianto did the same and looked at Jack who was grinning like a mad man.

"You didn't mind me sharing some of our moments?" Jack asked

"I wouldn't have minded you asking first, but not really, _Ben_."

"Hey, I don't like Ben that much. The whole name, okay, but Ben is too short. Ben. _Ben_. Nope, don't like it."

"Your name is Jack. It's just as short as Ben," Ianto rolled his eyes.

"Nevermind, I like it when you say it."

"Ben Dover?" Ianto asked innocently, smiling slightly when Jack bit his lip.

"Sir, yes Sir!"

Ianto chuckled and walked a little faster towards his flat.


	4. Day 3: Alternate Universe

_Thanks ceywoozle! It's the first prompt I wrote for this Fest ;) (I like high school/college AUs, I must admit.)_

 _Written for Torchwood Fest, Day Three: "Alternate Universe"_

 **Day Three - Alternate Universe**

All in all, Ianto didn't mind being called a faggot. Well, of course he did mind, but his main fear was that his sister would hear about it and tell their parents. He was afraid someone would walk by his house saying – purposely, a bit too loud – that he, Ianto Jones, was gay.

Which, first of all, he wasn't. He himself was still trying to determine what he was, but the fear itself was stupid. Nobody would do that, right?

And life at school was awful now that he had stupidly been seen with a man. They weren't even together. Ianto had just kissed him because it had felt like a good thing to do. They had been talking for a while and the guy was truly handsome and flirting, so Ianto had listened to his instinct.

He hadn't expected people to actually see them kissing. And he hadn't expected them to spread the word and make it look like he had jumped on that Jack guy. They had both clearly enjoyed it, but Jack was older, Jack was taller, Jack was popular. So Jack wasn't gay and Ianto had clearly forced him, or it had been a bet or a game. So people – students, even some friends – had started calling him a fag. First behind his back, then more and more to his face, until someone had given him a folded paper in class with the word written on it. As he had refused to show the teacher, he had been given detention.

The worst thing in this, apart from the constant fear that his family would find out, was that Ianto actually liked Jack. He had done so for some time, maybe because Jack embodied everything he wanted to be – confident, at ease with people, talkative, constantly laughing – but also, just maybe, because he was handsome, had beautiful blue eyes, and was smart. Ianto knew there was more to him and Jack. He had even started talking to Jack about more personal things, and that was why he had kissed him: he had thought that Jack was interested as well. Apparently he wasn't, as the gossip revolved around Ianto being gay, not Jack, and Jack wasn't saying a thing about it and hadn't spoken to Ianto since. If Ianto were to be honest, he missed him, because Jack had been a friend for him. Not a very close one, but still, a friend.

That was why when Jack came, almost a week after the gossip and insults had begun, Ianto wanted to ignore him. He tried to disappear into the wall and to make his friends understand that they needed to be quiet, but these things never worked, and Jack walked towards him, determined, nervously playing with the handle of his bag.

"Can I talk to you in private?" Jack asked when he reached Ianto. Ianto glanced at him but quickly looked away.

"I'm busy," Ianto replied, not really wanting to talk to him. Was Jack going to humiliate him even more?

"Ianto," Jack insisted, putting his hand on Ianto's arm, and Ianto briefly closed his eyes to suppress the shivers that ran down his back. "Please, at least listen to what I want to say."

"It's okay, I don't need to."

"I'm sorry, Ianto. Okay?" Jack said, and Ianto looked at him. It looked as if apologizing had taken all of Jack's will. Ianto tried to smile, but couldn't do it. He stared deeply into Jack's eyes and could only shake his head. A small shake that looked like it broke Jack's heart, but maybe that was just what Ianto wanted to see.

"We'll leave you to it."

Ianto's head snapped to the side. His friends were leaving. He and Jack would still be in a public place, but they could at least have a discussion without everyone else hearing it. Ianto watched them walk away with mixed feelings.

"I really am sorry," Jack insisted, and tightened his hold on Ianto's arm, forcing Ianto's attention back onto him. It hurt, but Ianto didn't want to show any pain so he said nothing. Jack pulled at his arm, making Ianto look at him and Ianto did, with sad, exhausted eyes that left Jack gaping.

"There's nothing to say, Jack, I get it," Ianto sighed. He really didn't want to have this conversation.

"No, there's more. Don't I get a say in this?"

"You missed your chance, Jack. You chose silence."

"Please, Ianto, don't do this..."

"Do what, Jack?"

"Ignore me."

Ianto scoffed and freed himself brutally, but Jack was quicker and grabbed Ianto's shoulders, forcing him to look Jack in the eye.

"I like you."

"Yeah, right, great way of showing it," Ianto said, and looked away.

To his surprise, Jack didn't try to convince him with words any more. No, he just crashed their lips together, gripping Ianto's shoulders even tighter, as if he was afraid Ianto would pull away. Which he probably would have done, to be honest, but more from surprise than because he was repulsed.

Right, Jack. Kissing him. In front of everyone. Not everyone. Maybe two people. Maybe nobody was there, because Jack sure wouldn't kiss him in front of anyone.

Or maybe he was just doing this.

They parted and Jack whispered, "I meant it."

Ianto opened his eyes, staring directly into blue eyes that amazed him, lips already swollen and a head full of... of a confused mess asking itself what had just happened. He also registered people watching. Not that it was really important...

Jack was looking at him, apparently waiting for something, but Ianto had nothing to give. Oh, Jack's hands were cupping Ianto's face now...

Oh God, Ianto felt so stupid suddenly. And so he was the one to reach out again, raising his head to kiss Jack as Jack was a bit taller than him (Ianto was sure they would be the same height soon enough.) While lips tasted lips, hands stroked cheeks, chin, neck, hair. They parted to breathe, still close to each other and neither wanting to step back.

"Hey faggot! You found some stupid boy to fuck?!" A voice broke the moment and Ianto closed his eyes.

"Sorry," he whispered.

Jack scoffed and turned to where the voice had come from, taking Ianto's hand in his and walking to the little group of friends. If Ianto had been the kind of man to blush he would have been red, as it was he just felt uncomfortable. He tried to get away but Jack wouldn't let him.

"Jack, please don't do anything..."

"Do you have a problem with gay people?" Jack asked the little group, ignoring Ianto.

"Yeah, that's disgusting!" One boy answered, but the others seemed intimidated by Jack, not having recognised him at first but now clearly afraid.

"And just because we kissed you assumed we were gay?"

"Well aren't you?"

"No, dumbass. The world isn't black or white, hetero or gay. If you want to insult me, use the proper terms at least and learn what you're talking about," Jack snapped, and they all took another step back, except the one who was doing the talking.

"That's still disgusting, right guys?" He asked, turning to his friends. Most of them shook their heads, some shrugged.

"I mean it's not as gross as my mom with the baker..."

"And they're not hurting anyone..."

"They're kinda cute to be honest..."

"What are you saying?" The boy stuttered, clearly realising his friends maybe weren't homophobes, but just following him. Not any more apparently, not with someone older and stronger in front of them. Someone they respected and maybe feared a little.

"You're the one missing something," Jack said, letting Ianto go and stepping forward where he suddenly leaned towards the speaker and whispered something in his ear.

Ianto, left behind, finally looked up for the first time. He looked at the group of friends. One of them he had once considered a friend of his own and the girl now smiled weakly and looked away with shame. Before Ianto could do anything, Jack was back at his side and the boy he had been whispering to was blushing and breathing heavily. Jack simply grinned.

"Is that a hard-on?" Someone tried to whisper, but it came out too loud, and everyone gasped.

Ianto looked at Jack who winked at him and took Ianto's hand in his own again, dragging him away from the now arguing group, with their supposed leader trying to explain.

"What did you do?" Ianto asked as they sat in a quiet spot.

Jack smiled. "Just told him what being with a man felt like," he shrugged.

Ianto looked down at their still entwined fingers. "So you've been with boys before," he said calmly.  
"Yeah. And girls. You?"

"A girl, once. But we were young. And... I kissed a boy for a stupid bet."

"I see..." Jack put his second hand on their joined ones, drawing Ianto's attention. He looked up, surprised. Jack seemed hesitant, almost ashamed. "I'm sorry," Jack said after a moment. "I didn't think it would... well I didn't think at all. I just knew I wanted you, but I thought it was a trick, a trap, I don't know what. Didn't think you actually wanted this. And I didn't want to expose my sexual orientation like this for nothing."

"I understand," Ianto said. "But why are you doing this now?"

"'Cause I thought it would pass and that I wouldn't care about people insulting you, but I do. I wanted to come earlier to apologise, or to say something, but I'm like everyone else."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm a coward, I didn't want people to make fun of me like they did to you."

"What changed?"

"You."

"I didn't change."

"No, but I did. And I'll take the risk."

It was extremely soppy and Ianto would normally have laughed, but as it was Jack saying these things to him, about him, while looking directly at him, he didn't. And as sentimental as it sounded, it felt good when it was said directly to you.

"Will you?" Jack asked.

"I'm sorry, what?" Ianto say, lost in his thoughts.

"Take the risk with me?"

"You mean take the risk of everyone pointing at me and calling me a fag?" Ianto didn't blame Jack – well, maybe a bit – but that didn't mean he accepted and was happy with what happened. Jack lost his cute smile. "Yeah," Ianto continued, "I guess I've got nothing left to lose now. I just have one question, though. Do you want to keep it secret? I'd understand if-"

"No," Jack interrupted him. "It's not even a question. I don't want people to keep insulting you. And I certainly don't want it to go any further. I'm not saying they'll stop, but maybe it'll make it better."

"Or worse, for you too."

"I know how to defend myself. And you, if needed."

"Yeah, right," Ianto scoffed.

"What? You don't believe me?" Jack asked, surprised. Ianto chuckled when Jack unconsciously straightened and tried to show how muscled he was.

"I'm sure you're capable of it, it's just that I can take care of myself."

"Oh," Jack pouted, almost disappointed.

"So don't upset me, you might regret it."

"I won't upset you," Jack sighed, and Ianto burst out laughing. "What now?" Jack demanded.

"That's extremely ridiculous, don't say that. If we're going to hang out together, you're going to upset me at some point, that's how life is. I'll get bored otherwise."

"Right," Jack nodded, smiling.

Ianto shook his head and looked around him, until he felt Jack's fingers tightening around his. He turned to him and moved back in surprise when Jack tried to kiss him without warning.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked.

"Yeah it's just... I should go," Ianto whispered, looking at Jack's lips and not moving at all.

"Is everything all right?" Jack asked again, concerned.

Ianto shook his head. He freed himself from Jack's hand and stood up. "No, I mean, I should go because my Mum's waiting for me."

"Oh. Okay. Yeah, sure. See you tomorrow then?"

"Yup," Ianto smiled as he helped Jack to his feet. Jack stood there for a few seconds then finally started to move.

"Well, bye," he shrugged.

"Jack?"

"Yeah?"

Ianto smiled and put his hand on Jack's shirt and kissed him. He let it linger a bit too long and pursed his lips when they parted.

"Okay, see you," Ianto said and after seeing the dumbfounded expression on Jack's face, he turned away with a genuinely happy smile.


	5. Day 4: Favourite Villain

_Thanks ceywoozle as always! I always loved John Hart and wanted to write something about the Time Agency, but in the end I didn't, oops!_

 _Written for Torchwood Fest, Day Four: "Favorite Villain"_

 **Day Four - Favourite villain**

He had never felt love before, and even now it didn't feel like everyone said it should feel like. It wasn't love, but it was as close as John would ever get.

He had kept this name. John Hart. He liked it. Maybe because he had invented it on the spur of the moment while talking to Jack. Bloody Jack. That wasn't his name either, but John liked that one, too. Jack wasn't the same man he had known back in the Time Agency, so it made sense he had a different name. And John liked him even more. Loved him. Because he was inaccessible.

In the Agency it had been simple: if he wanted something, he got it. If he wanted Jack, he had him. If he wanted a threesome, he had it. An orgy, too. Now Jack wouldn't even smile at such a proposition, which truly hurt.

Then Jack had gone and the Agency had slowly started dying out. Jeni had also left. And John had been in both teams to track them down. They had captured and tortured and killed Jeni, and John hadn't minded, but he had realised he didn't want to see Jack in the same situation. So he had lied, he had corrupted some files, he had changed coordinates more than once. He had given false reports and accounts, and the Time Agency had fallen by itself before anyone could find Jack again. Which John had at first been glad about, but what had that left him with? Nothing.

He had wandered after that. Then, without any goal in his life, he had given in to his already psychotic tendencies. Sex. Drugs. Alcohol. Torture. Murder. And he was good at everything. But he had wanted a point to his life, something to do, a meaning...

Looking for Gray had been the worst idea he could have come up with. He saw horrific things while searching and almost got caught by the monsters that had attacked Jack's village. He tortured people, murdered others, and when he finally found Gray, it wasn't Gray, but a vengeful, pissed off, broken man whose only goal had been to hurt Jack as much as he himself had suffered. When Gray had understood that hurting John wouldn't be a solution because Jack didn't feel anything for him – though that had hurt, too – he had stopped, and had listened to John instead.

John couldn't have known that Jack's little brother was even worse than he was, that it was all a trap. And Gray had managed to hurt Jack. Not by burying him. John doubted Jack even remembered that – maybe three or four painful breaths before the dust in his lungs had probably prevented him from awakening again – but John knew that, for Jack, losing part of his team had been the worst torture possible. Jack was immortal; he would have lost them eventually, of course, but he hadn't needed for someone to rip them away from him so soon.

John had cried for Jack's losses once he had been alone. Then he had wandered Earth, trying to understand what Jack had found in this tiny planet to keep him here.

* * *

Six months later, just when John was thinking about leaving, Jack had come back. Drunk, miserable, broken, asking for meaningless sex.

John had refused. Something he hadn't thought he would ever do, but he had. As much as he wanted Jack, he didn't want him like this. Which was weird. But staying there, John had learned how monogamous this place was. Which meant that Ianto probably was. And as jealous as John was of him – because he had what John would never have – John didn't want Jack to betray that. That was his answer to Jack.

When he learned that Ianto was dead, he just stared at Jack. And he asked the question burning across his mind. "Do you want to die?" Those five words that made Jack sob.

John held him that night. And after a long while, Jack finally answered. He wanted to die. He had tried, had put a gun against his head and pulled the trigger, had looked at a city under his feet and taken a step forward, had knotted a rope around his neck and jumped, had looked at his reflection and kept his head under the water... he had tried to die and to stay dead. It had never worked. He wasn't supposed to die but he had never been supposed to live this long. His heart and brain had never been meant to break this many many times. He hadn't been born to lose so many people and be doomed to this ongoing circle of death.

It had broken John's heart. The first man to ever reach him like this was the most broken man in existence. The first man he truly cared about would never be his because it could never work. John knew it. That was why he had liked Ianto Jones. Because he knew that everything he couldn't give Jack, Ianto could. But as much as he, and he supposed Jack, wanted that to last forever, Ianto was mortal and working for a dangerous organisation. And he had died. Young.

The next few days, John helped Jack. He took care of him, talked him to sleep, watched him during the night, tried to calm his nightmares. He forced him to eat and tried to talk him out of his depression. He tried to explain to him that he would meet other people to love, but Jack dismissed him by saying that he knew, and that was what broke him. He wanted Ianto to be special, he had promised, but he knew deep down there would be others. Some would stay longer, some would be more important and for now, it wasn't what Jack wanted. He wanted to remember Ianto Jones, brilliant Welshman, fantastic coffee maker, handsome and perfect wearer of suits. The man who had managed to find a breach in Jack's wall and to infiltrate his heart after so many years of hiding. Ianto had accepted him, had loved him, and Jack had loved him back. But Jack hadn't made the most of it and he was already regretting it. He already missed him and he was so afraid he'd forget him too soon.

John didn't know what to do. After a while, he left. He couldn't take it any more. He told Jack he was allowed to move on, and he did exactly that for himself. He left Earth, and he knew Jack would do the same eventually. And maybe they'd meet again, but John knew only one thing for sure: he would never have Jack again. And as much as John loved him, he didn't mind. He would have lovers and sex partners, and though Jack would always have a special place in his heart, John found he didn't want to explore that bit. He would stay far, far away from it, and that was fine.


	6. Day 4: The Doctor's Hand

_Thanks ceywoozle as always! Again, I wrote about Ianto Jones rather than... Well, anyone else, really._

 _Written for Torchwood Fest, Day Four: "The Doctor's Hand"_

 **Day Four - The Doctor's Hand**

Ianto kept a careful eye on the water filling the jar. He turned it off when it was three quarters full then set it beside the kitchen sink and left it there. Then, taking a little bag, he emptied it into a bowl, added a bit of alien liquid and more water – from Earth – then adding it all to the jar he carefully mixed it all together.

Ianto was used to doing this. It was mechanical by now. Every two days he had to change the water, make the same mix for it, and every two days he winced at the weird and almost sticky texture of it.

This time was no different. Well, it was, but Ianto hadn't realised it yet. He should have, because it was all he could think about lately, but he hadn't.

Tosh jumped at the sudden sound of glass smashing on the ground while Ianto swore. She almost ran to him.

"Are you okay?"

He didn't answer, simply knelt to pick up the broken pieces from the floor beside the table the jar had always stood on.

"Ianto," Tosh said instantly, putting a strong hand on his shoulder. "Leave it, I'll clean this up. Just go see Owen."

Ianto looked at her, then his hands, bleeding from the broken edges. He nodded and left without looking at her.

"I heard noises. And my name," Owen said as Ianto walked down the few stairs of the Bay. "What the hell did you do?"

Ianto shrugged in answer and presented his hands. Owen dragged him to the sink to stop the bleeding and treat the wounds.

"Anything alien?" Owen asked.

Ianto nodded.

"Couldn't you say this first? What was it?"

"He tried to change the water," Tosh said from upstairs. Owen looked at her then sideways at Ianto.

"A colleague that speaks, hallelujah! What water?"

"The Hand's," Tosh sighed and looked at Ianto. "Will he be okay?"

"Apart from the brooding and not talking? He'll survive. Don't use cleaning products for the moment, please," he told Ianto as Tosh left the room. "You'll just make it worse, for both you and me." He looked exhausted and concerned as he wrapped the bandages around Ianto's hands. "Why did you try to change the water, anyway? The bloody thing is gone, and it was creepy."

"I'm fine," Ianto whispered. It wasn't answering the question, but it seemed to be implied. And he would rather lie than answer Owen's question.

"Yeah, right," Owen scoffed. "I'm a Torchwood doctor, not someone you need to protect from reality. I know what you feel, but it's not your fault."

"You were right."

"Thanks. Not sure what you're talking about, though."

"Jack," Ianto said and even the name hurt. He hated this feeling. "Didn't need me after all."

Owen was thinking while he cleaned up the med bay. He finally remembered what Ianto was referring to and rolled his eyes, a habit that seemed to run in the Torchwood Team.

"I'm not doing the pep talk. Nor am I saying I was right. I wasn't, or not entirely. But stop running around in the Hub hurting yourself for that stupid hand in a jar that isn't even here any more."

It was as close to a pep talk as Ianto would ever get from Owen. Not that he was asking for one, certainly not from the irascible doctor. He shrugged, to show he had heard, and went back to his mood from the past two days. His face was closed from any emotion, he didn't talk much, and his mind was a fucking mess.

As he went back to the spot the hand had been standing not so long ago, he picked up a few broken pieces of glass that Tosh had missed, and thought how nobody could do this for him – picking up pieces of his broken mind, maybe even broken heart – then shook the thought away and quietly made his way to the kitchen. There, he took the alien liquid and took it to store in the archives, staying up there a while. Jack had explained to that him the hand was alien in origin. He had admitted it was from the Doctor, and had briefly explained in his own words – not Torchwood One's biased opinion, though Jack was probably biased as well – who the Doctor was. An old friend, Jack had explained, and Ianto had nodded, filed the information away in his mind, and had taken care of the hand.

But now Jack was gone and so was the hand, and Ianto was lonely. As much as he liked the rest of the team, it wasn't the same without Jack. And they had leadership issues. Gwen felt it was her right to take over from Jack, but at the same time, she also hoped he would come back soon. Owen was pissed off and grumbling, as usual, and he didn't want to give too much power and authority to Gwen. Tosh and Ianto truly didn't give a damn about who wanted to lead them but they were affected as well, as the team's dynamic was even poorer than when Gwen had first joined them. They were repeating errors that Jack had already taught them to avoid.

And more than as their the leader, Ianto missed Jack. They had been... doing whatever they had been doing, which included not meaningless sex for Ianto, but he didn't know if Jack had seen it in the same way. But whatever it was, Ianto missed it. He missed staying a bit longer at the Hub to be with Jack. He missed sex, of course. But above everything, he missed the man himself and Ianto still hadn't properly realised he was gone, especially so soon after Jack had come back from _the dead._

Bloody Hell. It sounded so ridiculous it almost made Ianto laugh. But he then remembered how lonely he actually felt and sighed. Life went on, as they said. He just had to get used to going home alone, eating alone, managing the secrets of the Hub alone. Nothing he had never done before, in the end.

And maybe, just maybe, he would keep the hope of one day seeing Jack again.


	7. Day 5: The Invisible Lift

_Sadly for you, this is unbeta'd, sorry!_ _Also I was going to write something more classical, like some Janto snogging on the lift and the team sort of rolling their eyes, but then I came up with this, I hope you like it ;)_

 _Written for Torchwood Fest, Day Five: "The Invisible Lift"_

 **Day Five - The Invisible Lift**

When Jack woke up, he was alone. Which wouldn't have usually surprised him, but he was sure that Ianto had stayed over the night before, and he liked spending an hour or two in the bed with him before having to work. Too bad for this time. But then, where was Ianto?

He rubbed his eyes, yawned, and straightened up. Then realised he didn't have his vortex manipulator and panicked. He put on some trousers and grabbed a white t-shirt, almost jumping out of his bunker. He didn't call Ianto, just in case, and looked around, then noticed the note on his desk.

" _Didn't want to wake you. Look up._ "was written in Ianto's handwriting.

That was enigmatic. And Jack stupidly looked up, in his office. Then he thought that maybe his office didn't have anything up, and thought of the conference room, but he understood what Ianto had meant when he saw the invisible lift in mid-air, Ianto sitting on it. Jack sighed, mentally counted it had been the eighth time already – though he had been in the Hub only once – and wondered, again, what Ianto was doing. Maybe some yoga. But he sure didn't need to be in mid-air for this, right? Maybe it was some strange 21st-century Earth belief. But it was rather rare to find elevators that stopped like this...

Jack left him nevertheless, and when Tosh went in, he put his finger to his lips and pointed at Ianto. Tosh smiled and nodded in silence. Ianto was down before anyone else could enter, and neither Jack nor Tosh asked him anything. At least not in front of the others. Jack totally mentioned the subject again as Ianto was cleaning the Hub, after everyone had gone home.

"So did you find anything, sitting on the lift like a mad man?" Jack smiled, trying to sound casual and not inquisitive.

"Nothing interesting," Ianto shrugged, but Jack didn't let go that easily this time.

"Do you like the view?"

"If you want to ask it, just shoot the question, Jack," Ianto rolled his eyes but he was smiling slightly.

"Okay, what are you doing up there?"

"Now, you'd like to know..."

"That's why I'm asking."

"It's silly, really," Ianto shrugged. He then left the room, Jack in tow, and went to the kitchen to clean the mugs he had taken from the tables.

"I won't laugh," Jack said with the kicked-puppy look he knew he mastered. Sometimes.

"I'm trying to get rid of a stupid fear."

Jack frowned, analysing the sentence, then gasped. "You're afraid of heights?!" Ianto nodded, wiping his hands dry. Jack followed him into the conference room where Ianto cleaned the table.

"It's not much of a fear, I just really don't like being up and don't feel reassured..."

"Since when? It's not in your file."

"Almost a year," Ianto whispered, avoiding Jack's eyes.

"A year? That recent? What happened?"

"Doesn't matter," Ianto smiled, and Jack knew it did matter.

He stayed silent for a while, thinking. Then he realised.

"Is it because of Canary Wharf?"

"Maybe," Ianto shrugged again, finishing wiping off the table. He went back to the kitchen to dry the mugs and put them where they belonged.

"Were you afraid before Torchwood?"

"Jack. Straight to the point, again," Ianto rolled his eyes.

"Well you're not helping me guessing. Okay okay... you worked in the higher levels?"

"No, the doctors said it was an aftermath of the Battle. I've been trying to fight it, but I realised I'm still not really at ease. So I'm trying with the lift."

Jack took Ianto's hand as he was going to grab the last mug. He silently asked Ianto if he was okay, and Ianto smiled with a quick nod. At Jack's perplexed look, he rolled his eyes, amused, and kissed him briefly.

"Do you need help?" Jack asked.

"You know any alien way to fight this?"

"No, but I can support you. C'mere," Jack smiled and made it look like Ianto had a choice – even though Jack already held his hand – and dragged him through the Hub to stop on the platform. Ianto tensed slightly. "But why didn't I ever notice this?"

"Adrenaline allowed me to control it. Which means I might shake, but at least I'm not noticing the thing moving or the ground below..."

"We made out on this elevator," Jack thought aloud.

Ianto shrugged and Jack kissed him. Snogged him. He actually wouldn't let him go, and Ianto gave in. When they parted, Jack looked at him, still close enough for Ianto to feel Jack heavy breathing against his lips.

"So?" Jack asked and Ianto pulled a face, as if thinking.

"Yup, rather good kiss."

"Still afraid?"

"Well I wouldn't know. You kinda forgot to actually activate the lift so I'm pretty sure I'm doing all right so far," Ianto shook his head with a smile he couldn't contain when Jack looked around and sighed.

"Don't make fun of your tired leader."

"Mmh, right, poor old man..."

"Hey, you were the one distracting me!"

"Oh so now it's my fault?"

"Perfectly, because..." Jack had activated the lift while talking but instantly stopped when Ianto turned white in a second. "Wow, you really are scared..."

"I fucking hate you," Ianto muttered between gritted teeth.

He then closed his eyes and took deep breaths. Jack put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Are you going to punish me?" Jack grinned. He stopped the lift, way higher than where Ianto usually stopped.

"Jack! That's way too much..." Ianto said, completely ignoring Jack's attempt of humour.

"Okay deep breaths. Ianto, look at me. Now concentrate. You liked climbing up on trees when you were young, didn't you?" Jack asked, smiling when Ianto shrugged. Not a yes, but not a no either. Maybe not the best memory, but at least it included heights. "Can you picture that for me? Add some handsome man in the memory if it's helping you."

"For all I know you could have been creepily spying on me when I was young..."

"What? Hey, focus! And I'm not a creepy pervert, for your information."

"Should I note that down? In 'Jack's informations to know about'."

"You might have checked that before dating me."

"Are we dating now?"

"Ugh... Well. We're going on dates," Jack stuttered. "I just assumed..."

"Right."

"I mean if you..."

"No, that's okay."

"Okay."

"Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"What about the trees?"

"What trees? Oh, yes. Well," Jack took a deep breath to gather his thoughts and looked beneath them. Which was the wrong thing to do as Ianto followed his stare and stilled instantly. "Think of the tree, Ianto."

"Can we please stop?" he whispered and Jack nodded, quickly pressing some buttons on his vortex manipulator. When the lift took his position back on the floor, Ianto didn't move.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked, concerned. He had never seen him like this, and almost sighed of relief when Ianto weakly nodded. "You need anything? Coffee?"

"Worst idea ever right now... I'm fine," Ianto smiled after a few seconds. He still was rather livid, but at least he had enough energy left to smile. "Next time, let me deal with it my own way, okay?"

"I'm just trying to help..."

"I know, I appreciate it, but never again."

"You should have told me," Jack said, helping Ianto to walk to the couch where he sank.

"Didn't think it mattered," Ianto shrugged once he was well-seated.

"It always does. You've been up in buildings before."

"It's different. As long as I have four walls, or three and a window, I'm fine. Even planes, I'm doing okay, I just hate roofs and basically anything that implies that you can fall if you miss a step," Ianto tried to explain something he didn't entirely understand himself. It was rather new, and didn't happen every time. If he were too busy thinking, or pressed by the time, he usually wouldn't notice before he was already leaving the roof.

"But you've already been on roofs," Jack noted.

"Well that doesn't mean I felt at ease."

"Oh... Okay. You're sure you don't need my help?"

"I'm fine."

"Okay then how about we head out and eat something nice and spend the night at yours?"

"That sounds like a good thing to do," Ianto nodded with a smile. Definitely a better solution than standing on the lift trying to fight his fear.


	8. Day 5: The SUV

_Again, this is unbeta'd, sorry!_

 _Written for Torchwood Fest, Day Five: "The SUV"_

 **Day Five - The SUV**

If Jack always drove like this, Owen had never minded before. Maybe he had, though, because Owen remembered asking him to pull over to puke once, but he had been hungover back then. Actually, he hadn't minded a lot about anything the first few weeks. To be honest, maybe he had noticed but hadn't cared to die in a car accident because he didn't really want to keep on living.

But now he did. After a particularly long and emotional case, Owen had realised that life had to go on and he couldn't live with Katie's ghost forever. He had to move on. It was a long process, but now he wanted to live and experience things and see more aliens and save more people – and even aliens because they weren't all bad.

But for this, he needed to be alive and Jack was currently driving at 70mph on a 30mph road, and taking last-second turns that prevented Owen from breathing for a few seconds. He was holding onto the seat and even without being easily car sick, he couldn't take it any more and probably was slowly dying inside. He was sure he could die. Oh God he would die because of Jack's way of driving.

As Jack pulled over, Owen almost flew straight into the wind-shield and only survived thanks to his reflexes. His hands met the dashboard violently and before he had time to complain aloud or even wince, he had to leave the SUV and be efficient in his work.

* * *

From this point on, Owen Harper took great care of driving as much as possible the vehicle, without saying anything to Jack. Until Jack noticed he took less and less fun in driving because he drove less and less.

"Gimme the keys," Owen said, but Jack didn't give them.

They had just dealt with some crazy alien and Owen really didn't feel like surviving a car ride if Jack was driving.

"Why are you the one driving?"

Owen shrugged, his answer ready. "You did most of the job, I can do the driving part."

Flattery or attention didn't work with Jack. "Driving is the funny part. What, you don't like it?"

"Now that you mention it," Owen smiled, "not the slightest."

"What's wrong with me?"

"Flirting constantly, innuendos every two sentences, you tried to get into my pants, and apparently the two others as well, you're not organised, you..."

"Hey, I was asking about my driving!"

"Oh, right, you should have said. Well, you're always at least 20 miles above the speed limits. You're dangerous not only for passers-by but also for us, passengers. We can't be as efficient as you want us to be after a ride like this."

"Yeah, but we're pressed by time."

"Jack, you once did a 360 car spin because it was fun. And it was for takeaways. On a calm day."

"... Admit it, it _was_ fun."

"Tosh almost puked and Suzie's soul left her body."

"... What about you?"

"I almost broke a tooth by gritting my jaw on the off chance that it would end the nightmare. Just let me take care of the driving."

"But I like it."

"Bloody hell Jack you sound like a five years old."

"You're the five years old."

Owen blinked at Jack. "... What?"

"Nothing," Jack said, apparently also shocked by his lack of repartee.

"So?"

"You know I could fire you for this..."

"I'm just asking to drive because you suck at it. And I could quit for this, good luck on finding a new medical officer."

"I could replace you easily," Jack smiled.

"Don't bother, Tosh told me it took you one year to find someone, Suzie said two."

Jack pouted, and threw the car keys at Owen, who caught them easily. "Fine, but we're making a stop at Jubilee's. I'm starving."

Owen smiled and winked at Suzie who was joining them with Tosh. They both sent a look full of hope at Owen who showed the keys.

"Are you all traumatized by my driving?" Jack interrupted their silent exchange.

"Yes," they all answered with smiles and Jack rolled his eyes. What a bunch of kids.


	9. Day 6: All Dressed Up

_Again, this is unbeta'd, sorry!_

 _Written for Torchwood Fest, Day Six: "All dressed up"_

 **Day Six - All Dressed Up**

Ianto snapped Jack's hand from his jacket as Jack tried to pull Ianto close, _again_. He shushed Jack's protestations with a look and Jack pouted.

"We're already late," Ianto offered as an excuse.

"It's just downstairs... And you really look hot in this suit... Bow-ties suit you."

"So no need to strip me out of it, then. Just tie your stupid tie and let me deal with my own suit," Ianto rolled his eyes, taking cufflinks to add a little something to his already perfect suit. Jack smiled innocently and looked at his tie, then at Ianto.

"Please?"

"Oh my God, Jack!" Ianto exclaimed and quickly did Jack's knot.

Despite being late, and crossed at the man for being unable to knot his own bloody tie, Ianto kissed him briefly then dragged him by the sleeve. He took their badges on the way out and sighed of relief when they finally got out, letting go of Jack's arm.

"Sorry we're a bit late, Jack was taking all his time in the bathroom. Worse than a girl. No offence," Ianto said with a smile. The team simply nodded and started to walk. "You look lovely," Ianto whispered to Tosh who thanked him with a sweet smile.

She wore a fancy black dress – they all had to wear black, which was stupid – that changed from her more casual everyday clothes. They all were in London for some stupid UNIT gala, as Jack loved to call them because apparently nobody cared if the Earth was ending on a UNIT gala day. It was so much more important to listen to boring conferences and talk to boring people than watch the Rift. And they were 150 miles away from it, which meant they couldn't even go quickly if needed.

And Jack really hated it, as his team had heard over and over in the car ride. The three-hour car ride. Owen had almost thrown him out the window, and had braked a few times at the last second so Jack would be stopped in his constant complains. Ianto had shut him up by doing a massage from the back seat, as much as possible. Owen would have normally complain about them getting all lovey-dovey in the car, but Jack was quiet at last so Owen said nothing and kept on driving.

And now Jack was complaining again, except that they could all get away. Tosh stayed with him, but then got interested in some very technical stuff and Jack left her to search for Ianto.

* * *

"He's good, isn't he?" he asked, not caring about cutting some officers in the middle of his sentence when he finally found Ianto. He put arm around Ianto's shoulders while Ianto shook his head.

After arguing that he was probably a bit drunk and didn't really care about the gala, Jack still didn't manage to convince Ianto to leave. In the end, he just got to be by Ianto's side the rest of the time, but only for Ianto to watch him closely.

Tosh seemed glad when she came back to them, and Owen was also quite happy with the food but bored like Jack. Gwen had made a few contacts and was talking to them, trying to do what Jack had always failed at: having good relations with UNIT. Three out of five wasn't that bad.


	10. Day 6: Nowhere To Go

_Again, this is unbeta'd, sorry!_

 _Written for Torchwood Fest, Day Six: "Nowhere to go"_

 **Day Six - Nowhere To Go**

Jack sighed as he checked the CCTV. That man was too stubborn. He took his coat and left the quiet Hub to meet the cold night of Cardiff. He walked to Ianto who was standing against the railing in front of the water. Ianto looked at him briefly then back at the water. He wasn't the same as before. He wasn't that emotionless and enigmatic man who Jack maybe liked a bit too much. He was Ianto Jones, survivor of the Battle of Canary Wharf, a man who had just seen his girlfriend die for the second time. He was sad and broken, and everyone could see it on his face. They had already talked about it, Jack understood, and Ianto didn't blame him. He was slowly admitting to himself that Lisa had been dead the whole time, but it didn't make it any easier. Jack was sure he would bounce on his feet again. But for now he was in suspension and still coming near his workplace.

"Don't you have a flat or something?"

"Not really..." Ianto whispered, staring at the water.

"I've seen it, Ianto."

"I just... don't feel home there. I don't feel safe. I don't have anything to do and it's driving me mad."

"So you're coming here."

"I've got nowhere else to go..."

"Go see your family. Get out of this place for a day or two. You're in suspension, not locked in the cells or at your place."

Ianto nodded, but didn't move.

"How do you deal with it?" He asked instead.

"What?"

"When you close your eyes, when you sleep. How do you deal with death and losses?"

Jack studied Ianto's face, or what he could see of it. It was a blunt question and Jack hadn't expected it. Ianto usually obtained what he wanted without explicitly asking for it. Jack sighed and turned to the water, like Ianto.

"You just keep on living to remember her," he shrugged. "There's no answer to that."

"How do you forget the smell of blood and shit and burnt flesh and the look of your friends, dead?"

"We're not talking about Lisa, are we?"

"Of course we are. But not only. She wasn't the only person I cared about in the building..."

"You survived. I don't know how, I don't know why you, but it's a chance. Make the most of it."

"What if I don't want it?"

"It'll come eventually. You're young Ianto, you've got plenty of time to build another life."

Ianto nodded and stared at the water in silence. Jack did the same until Ianto eventually moved, leaving without another word. Jack stared at him until he disappeared, wondering when Ianto would feel better and how he could help. When he started comparing Ianto's experience to his own life, to Boeshane and Gray's abduction and himself surviving the attack, he shut down his memories and angrily walked back to the Hub. Ianto was making him think of things he had buried years ago and tried not to think about, and he hated that feeling.

* * *

Ianto was angry too. He went home, but didn't stay long. Jack hadn't answered his questions and he felt even guiltier than before. For surviving this damn Battle and for still being alive. He didn't want to live but he didn't want to die either. Or maybe he just didn't want to kill himself. He decided that going to the pub was a good alternative, and for a night he managed to forget about Lisa, about his friends, about Canary Wharf, about Jack. Then he kept going, and he didn't ask Jack for advice again.


	11. Day 7: Favourite Quote

_Again, this is unbeta'd, sorry! **T**_ _ **rigger warnings:** best not to read this in public (unless you master the poker face!), explicit mention of sex (but nothing graphic), angst…_

 _Thanks to ceywoozle (still Ao3!) for the initial idea, and some of my friends for some of the ideas! I wished I could have written more, but I was a bit short on time ;)_

 _Written for Torchwood Fest, Day Seven: "Favourite Quote"_

 **Day Seven - Favourite Quote**

Ianto brewed the last coffee of the day and left the kitchen with a last look to check if it was clean enough. He nodded to himself and carefully walked down the stairs, going straight to Jack's office. He knocked then entered when Jack waved him to come without even looking up. Jack finished his phone call with a growl of frustration. Ianto set the coffee on the table and Jack sighed of relief, looking at the mug then Ianto.

"Oh Ianto Jones, I could love you only for this!" Jack exclaimed and instantly sipped the hot coffee.

"Don't," Ianto said without thinking. He smiled in response of Jack's confused look despite his own confusion and coughed to stop the mess in his mind. "I'll finish something up in the archives and head home. Do you need anything else?" It was a lie, but Jack wasn't going to know. Even if Ianto was dying to tell him. Tell him he was trying to save Lisa, ask him some help, tell him he hadn't meant to betray him but would do anything for her...

He said nothing.

"Always last to leave!" Jack smiled. "And I'm fine."

"You're always here as well."

"It's my job, I'm the boss," Jack said and he sounded both proud and tired. Ianto nodded and left him without further ado.

He didn't know what this 'don't' was and what it meant. Don't love me? Why would he ask that? Why would he even think of it? They were flirting, and even if stares and hands sometimes lingered too much between them, it wasn't as if anything would ever happen. Ianto had Lisa and Jack only seemed to be joking around. Even if he probably wouldn't refuse Ianto for a one-night stand, Ianto wasn't looking for one. Maybe he had thought about it, but it was just his libido waking up at Jack's bloody pheromones. And his grin. And... Ianto stopped his thoughts there and focused on Lisa. Lisa who was waiting for him. Lisa who needed him. Lisa who loved him.

* * *

Jack smiled as he made his way up Ianto's body and kissed him deeply. Ianto responded in his post-orgasm laziness then pushed him away to catch his breath.

"Do that again and I'll love you for the rest of my life," Ianto panted.

Jack frowned, then grinned. "Don't," he playfully answered, echoing what Ianto had once answered him when Jack had also expressed his love – it was for a good coffee at the exact right time, an excellent excuse, of course.

Ianto pushed him away from him, muttering a "Fuck you," that made Jack laugh.

"Who won?" Ianto asked when Jack stopped making fun of him.

Jack checked the stopwatch he had stopped a few minutes before and pulled a face. "You... beat me? You held back two seconds more than I did? How?"

Ianto laughed this time while Jack declared that the stopwatch was lying. Jack stopped complaining to listen to Ianto's laugh, smiling despite himself. They had been shagging for the third time, or maybe more now, and as much as Jack liked sex between them, the thing he liked even more was the contrast between the Ianto he saw at work, and the one who was in bed with him. He was more relaxed, and he had a cute laugh – which the team never really heard.

"You could stay for once," Jack heard himself ask as Ianto was starting to dress up. They were shagging but it felt like a one-night stand – except for the fact that it wasn't the first time and didn't feel like the last one – so Ianto usually left afterwards.

When Ianto nodded and sat back, Jack ignored the relief of seeing that Ianto agreed on staying with him for the night.

* * *

Ianto watched Jack closely, his arms crossed on his chest. He had agreed, after an entire day, to let Jack try to repair the broken coffee machine. Jack felt honoured in a way because nobody _ever_ touched Ianto's coffee machine like this, but Ianto had let him. A little personal victory. Well, it would become one if Jack actually managed to repair it. But it was nothing too complicated, just some alien machine.

He had always been a good mechanic, especially with alien stuff, but maybe he was putting a bit of a show for Ianto as he felt his stare was burning Jack's neck. When he knew he was done, he smiled broadly, bent over a few more times, then finally winked at Ianto who rolled his eyes.

"Are you done with the 'showing your body' moment?"

"Yeah I'm fine," Jack grinned. "And so is your coffee machine."

Ianto walked to him quickly and pushed him away to check by himself. Jack pouted, feeling hurt by Ianto's absence of recognition. He had just saved his life, he deserved at least a good snog!

"I fucking love you!" Ianto exclaimed and finally snogged him properly.

Jack smiled as they parted. "Don't," he whispered against his lips and Ianto pushed him away again.

"Are you ever going to let this die?"

"I'll think about it," Jack smiled. Ianto rolled his eyes then looked back at the machine. "I thought about it! Never."

Ianto looked up with exasperated eyes and probably killed Jack in his mind. "I hate you sometimes..."

"Yeah but the other times make up for it, right?"

"Mmh. Sometimes..." Ianto shrugged.

"Hey, I repaired your machine!"

"Right. Thank you. Coffee?"

"Sure," Jack smiled.

He leaned against the table, watching Ianto carefully brewing a coffee for him. While waiting for the mug to fill, Ianto turned to Jack and kissed him calmly and for a long time, then pursed his lips as they parted.

"Your coffee's going to be cold."

They kissed one last time and Jack then sipped at the coffee, glad to have his dose of caffeine back. He even managed to not wince when he tasted the remains of descaling agent he had himself used at some point to try to repair the machine and had forgotten about. By the look Ianto had on his face, he was perfectly aware of it and was taking a great pleasure at seeing Jack's pain.

* * *

Jack pursed his lips and looked up from his paperwork.

"I swear if you don't get any work done by the time I'm finished, I'm not giving it back to you," Ianto said exasperated by Jack overstressing next to him.

Jack pouted but went back to work, and Ianto smiled sweetly as Jack finally concentrated on the work he should have done a week earlier already.

When Ianto eventually finished, he held the thing in front of him to see if he had missed any hole. He didn't see anything so handed Jack's coat to its owner who jumped on his feet and examined it with awe.

"Oh my God, I love you!" Jack exclaimed, way too happy for just a coat.

His head snapped up instantly and he looked at Ianto with fear. Ianto grinned when he saw the 'oh no' forming on Jack's lips, even if he didn't say anything.

"Don't," Ianto replied, his smile widening when Jack growled and put the coat away to cross his arms on his chest.

"I thought we agreed that this was stupid."

"You agreed with yourself that you'll never let this die. I'm just following orders from my boss," Ianto smiled while Jack grumbled.

"Well, it was a bad idea."

Ianto chuckled and took the coat to put it on Jack's shoulders.

* * *

Jack opened his mouth and closed it, looking stupid. He had to find good arguments or Ianto would close the door on his face.

Ianto didn't think he would actually do it, but he wanted to hear Jack's excuses before letting the man back in his life. Jack had left them – had left him – without a word, after all. And he had come back, expecting to find everything unchanged and opened arms welcoming him. For now, Ianto had his arms crossed. He was thinking.

And Jack was looking stupid standing in the corridor, trying to find arguments – even though Ianto had already agreed on a date, but he hadn't really thought about it and wasn't sure he wanted it to be that easy for Jack. Jack eventually seemed to find something and looked right into Ianto's eyes.

"Ianto, please... I just... I'm just asking for a second chance... I... I love you, okay?"

Ianto stilled and felt his heart fastening in his chest. They had never said it, not that seriously, not while looking at the other right in the eye, not as an argument to stay with the other. They had joked with the words, but hadn't properly expressed any feelings. Maybe showed it, but this was different. God, he had missed Jack so much. Damned be his reason, he just wanted him. And maybe he loved him too.

"Don't," he said after a few seconds, and saw the moment Jack's heart broke.

Then the moment Jack understood the reference, and looked at him with more hope than Ianto had ever seen in someone's eyes. Ianto nodded with the little smile he knew Jack loved and thought for a second that Jack would whoop. He didn't scream, but his eyes were grateful when Ianto stepped back to invite him in his flat.

* * *

Ianto swore as he searched his drawer, then slammed it close. He had been going through the flat for the past twenty minutes, looking for his favourite tie that he couldn't get his hands on since... Well, since he had tied Jack with, probably.

"Have you tried under the bed?" Jack asked from the door-frame he was leaning against.

He whistled when Ianto sank on the floor, Jack enjoying the view.

"I'm looking for my tie," Ianto said from above the bed.

He straightened, his hair messy and the first three buttons of his white shirt opened. As he stood up and put his hands on his hips, the shirt stretched and Jack groaned aloud.

"Are you looking for this one?" Jack asked as he took a tie from his pocket. Maybe he had kept it a few days because he loved it as much as Ianto did and had wanted to see Ianto's reaction... Or maybe he had just found it, of course.

"Yes! Gosh, I love you so much, right now!"

Jack smiled. He would have pouted a "Only right now?" usually, but this was outdated with Ianto Jones.

Instead, he grinned, "Don't." Ianto hit Jack on the arm, which only made Jack laugh. "Oh someone's getting kinky!"

Ianto rolled his eyes but still kissed Jack before putting the tie around his neck. He buttoned his shirt to the top and finished getting ready.

"Maybe tonight I'll let you use it," Ianto winked, his intention clear.

Jack grinned and let Ianto pass through the doorway only after kissing him properly, just a promise for the night to come.

* * *

Jack rolled his eyes as he saw Ianto come in. He had ordered him to stay home and yet the man still came to work. He had been sick the day before, and had felt even worse in the morning. Jack had gone to work alone and told Ianto he didn't need to come. And there he was.

"I swear to God, if you-" Jack stopped and rushed to Ianto who stumbled and was about to fall. "Congrats, you didn't manage it to your workstation. Go home, Ianto."

"I'm fine," Ianto muttered and pushed Jack away.

Tosh frowned from her seat as Jack rolled his eyes again. He let Ianto walk two steps, then was at his side when Ianto tripped again.

"That's it, I'm taking you home," Jack sighed, exasperated.

"But..."

"You're sick, I don't care. Owen!" Jack shouted across the Hub and Owen soon appeared.

"What?"

"You're his doctor, tell him what to do," Jack ordered. "Maybe he'll listen to you."

"You're sick, mate. Go rest. I already told you yesterday to stay at home. Either you spend a day resting and you'll be fine quickly, or you stubbornly keep coming and you'll be sick for a week. I already know what I'd choose if I were you."

"Don't want to," Ianto mumbled, and everyone rolled their eyes.

"Are you okay sweetheart?" Gwen asked as she was walking in the main area. "Jack told us you wouldn't be here."

"He's sick, and wants to work," Jack explained, his hands still steadying Ianto.

Ianto slowly started to rest his head on Jack's shoulder and Jack grunted.

"Seriously why don't you just listen to me?"

"If he wants to be here, give him a computer but set him on your couch or bed. You'll both be satisfied," Gwen shrugged and Jack looked up at her as if she had just said the most intelligent thing ever.

He dragged Ianto to his office, maybe a bit too fast, and helped him down his bunker, more carefully this time. Ianto almost passed out before he could sit on the bed, and Jack held him for a few minutes, both standing right beside the bed.

When he felt good enough, Ianto lay on the bed, still complaining about how he should be working, but Jack left so he stopped talking. When Jack was back, Ianto was staring blankly at the wall, his mind clouded by illness. Jack put the computer he was holding on the night-stand, plugged it in case Ianto needed to, and set a glass of water with a couple of painkillers. He came back to put a tea, and smiled when Ianto looked up with gratitude in his eyes. Jack sat on the bed, without crushing Ianto, and ran his hand in Ianto's hair as the man slowly gave in and accepted rest.

"I love you," Ianto whispered, eyes half-closing.

Jack ignored his heart jumping in joy and kissed Ianto's burning forehead.

"Don't," Jack smiled. They had never stopped this joke between them, and Jack secretly loved it.

"Don't tell me what to do," Ianto mumbled in answer, and Jack burst out laughing.

He kissed his forehead again as Ianto finally fell asleep. Jack looked at him for a while then eventually got up and took the computer with him. He drank the tea for Ianto, not wanting to waste it, and got back to work, relieved to know that Ianto was resting in Jack's bed.

* * *

Jack sighed under Ianto's hands. Ianto smiled and stayed on the same spot for a moment, feeling how tense Jack was under him. He put a bit more pressure on a particular tensed knot in Jack's back, and Jack growled.

Jack hadn't really asked for a massage, but Ianto could tell he needed one, so he had insisted. His mother had sometimes given him ones when he had been too tensed, and he had asked her to show him. Apparently, he had been a good student, or she had been a good teacher, as Jack seemed to enjoy this. He sure looked calmer than an hour ago.

"How are you holding?" Ianto asked after a while.

Jack tensed a bit before answering, but Ianto kissed his shoulder and Jack sighed.

"You?"

"It's hard," Ianto offered, shrugging. He stopped a couple of seconds, then resumed his massage. "I guess I just miss them."

He could hear his own voice breaking and was glad that Jack had his back on him. They had lost Tosh and Owen not a month ago, and things had been a bit tensed between them since. It was one of the rare moments of peace and quiet they had, where none was stressed enough to yell at the other.

Jack had tried to find a way to bring Owen and Tosh back, but Ianto had disagreed and it had ended up in screams across the Hub. It was stupid, but they both were so devastated by their losses that they didn't even notice how much they needed the other.

Jack didn't answer, and Ianto didn't insist on the matter. Maybe he didn't really want to talk about it too. Denial was never a good solution but it sometimes allowed Ianto to ignore the pain.

Ianto absently continued massaging Jack's back, until Jack moaned, which made Ianto smile.

"Oh God, Ianto, that's perfect..."

Ianto chuckled and stopped soon after as his hands were starting to ache. Jack sighed in the sheets but didn't move.

"Nope, I'm done," Ianto smiled as Jack clearly wanted more.

"Mmh..."

Ianto rolled his eyes. "You have no pity," he mumbled and put his hands on Jack's shoulders again. "Five more minutes, and I'm done," Ianto added.

"Oh fuck, don't stop," Jack almost begged him as Ianto was massaging his lower back.

After way more than five minutes, Ianto warned Jack he was going to stop.

"Ah, I think I love you everyday a bit more," Jack mumbled.

Ianto froze.

"Don't," he whispered, and for once it wasn't to make fun of Jack – or himself, considering he had been the first to answer this.

It was honest. He didn't want Jack to love him, he didn't want Jack's love for him to keep growing every day. Ianto knew he would die, Jack knew it, as well, and they both knew it would hurt. But Ianto hadn't witnessed Jack losing someone before. He had seen him after Estelle's death, but Ianto had still been mourning Lisa's death, and they hadn't really been close at that time. Now he could see the impact of Tosh's and Owen's death on Jack, and it wasn't pretty to witness. He was broken – they all were – and he was putting as much distant as he could between himself and Ianto. Which hurt, even if Ianto understood it.

Jack turned, still beneath Ianto, and slowly took Ianto's hands in his own. Ianto closed his eyes and fought back the tears that threatened to fall.

"Ianto, I really-"

Ianto quickly freed his hand to put his index on Jack's mouth and shush him.

"I know," he whispered, and slowly bend enough to kiss Jack. "I know, and me too. But not like this."

"I need you," Jack said instead of the three words that looked like it would hurt them more if pronounced.

Ianto nodded, still close to him, and kissed Jack again. Jack responded, bringing his hands to Ianto's face and hair, then put his own arms around Ianto, holding him close, breathing in his smell, kissing him. Loving him.

Ianto cried in silence for Jack's loss, knowing he would never be able to comfort the man because he wouldn't be here for Jack when he himself would die.

* * *

"I love you," Ianto said weakly.

Jack didn't want it to end. He didn't want Ianto to leave him like this, he didn't want to lose him to some random alien, not after all this time, not after Tosh and Owen dying. He didn't want to see him die, especially not in his arms. Or he wanted to die with him, and never wake up.

Then he remembered all the times they had said they loved each other, without really saying it because the other would always answer the same thing. And despite his sadness and his heart breaking, he tried to hold back his tears and tried to smile as he held Ianto.

"Don't," Jack whispered, and Ianto closed his eyes. Jack's heart stopped. He begged him to open his eyes, and Ianto did, and he looked so weak, so... dying.

For the last time, Jack heard his voice, for the last time, he tasted his lips, and for the first time in a long, long time, he wished he would never come back from the dead.


	12. Day 8: OTP

_Again, this is unbeta'd, sorry!_ _This is actually translated from a French little fic I wrote when I couldn't sleep some time ago (and I was thinking of Janto, obviously)_

 _Written for Torchwood Fest, Day Eight: "OTP"_

 **Day Eight - OTP**

Ianto groaned before turning on the other side as he was feeling an arm under his face, that had been hurting him for a few seconds now. He whimpered from pain when he violently met the floor and growled on the ground, having trouble straightening. He at last knelt on the floor and looked up on the bed to understand what had just happened.

Jack was taking all the place, his arms wide opened and his legs way too spread for it to be a comfortable position, or even a natural one. Ianto rubbed one of his eyes and decided he wouldn't gently ask his partner to take less place but would himself take more. So he lay back half on Jack who smiled in his sleep and put his hand on Ianto's shoulder. Ianto eventually sighed in Jack's neck, eyes opened, knowing he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep before long. He looked up to his clock which read four in the morning and sighed again, then cuddled a bit closer to Jack.

He let his mind wander a bit too much and jumped when his clock rang less than an hour later. The hand on his shoulder tightened its hold and Ianto smiled when Jack groaned and put his second arm around Ianto, as if refusing the very existence of the clock alarm.

Ianto managed to free himself after a few seconds and straightened, not hesitating to crush Jack under him to reach the clock and shut it off. He then tried to stand up but a strong arm closed around his stomach and pulled him back on the sheets. He stopped breathing for a second and it was enough time for Jack to be on top of him, grinning while holding both Ianto's hands near his face. Ianto tried to fight him but Jack tightened his grip and bent over a bit more each time Ianto tried to free himself. Ianto rolled his eyes and straightened to kiss Jack when he was close enough. He smiled and slumped back into the bed, smiling innocently at Jack's outraged look – all this tease for nothing! Ianto laughed against Jack's lips when Jack finally broke the eye-contact and kissed him passionately, forgetting about the teasing part.


	13. Day 9: End Of The World

_Mmh, probably not much of an end of the world, but hey, it could have been :D Apparently writing missions is not my cup of tea! (whereas writing Janto comes way more easily, or so it seems…)_

 _Written for Torchwood Fest, Day Nine: "End of the world"_

 **Day Nine - End Of The World**

Tosh pouted as she realised that if Ianto wasn't here, it meant no coffee. She liked his coffee. She sighed and dramatically slumped into her seat, thinking the world could end and she probably would let it because, God, Ianto's coffee really had become a drug for her.

Then the alarm went off and she cursed. Well, maybe she wouldn't let the world die after all.

"Guys!" She called through the Hub as she was checking the Rift. "Incoming!" She yelled when she realised the Rift activity was within the Hub. Jack – already with his Webley – and Gwen ran to her, but a flash prevented them from reacting to the threat.

* * *

When Jack came to his senses with a loud and painful gasp, he groaned on the floor. He was alone. He avoided dying lately, and when he did, Ianto was there. And now he wasn't and Jack missed it, missed him. He didn't know which part was the worst, the death or the revival, but the absence of Ianto sure didn't make the latter any easier. He sat with difficulty, remembering just how painful that death had been, and he didn't even know how he had exactly died, but the team was gone and his Webley with it.

He stood up and looked at the floor, feeling bad for Ianto because of the mess he had made by slowly dying with an open wound – judging by the pool of blood he left behind. But searching for the team was more important right now.

* * *

"Look at your leader, all lost and turning in circles..."

"Piss off," Owen snapped, and the alien answered by slapping him in the face. They had been reckless and some alien – who hadn't given any name or even his species – had hopped in, apparently prepared for Torchwood. Which meant it probably knew how to control the Rift, and knew about them, which wasn't good news at all. It even knew Jack was immortal. All in all, the Torchwood team was at a loss, defenceless, and their only hope was their leader who indeed was walking the exact same path over and over.

Only Tosh realised that the CCTV was in a loop. Jack had set a not-so-discreet one but Tosh guessed he had run out of time.

* * *

It was quick, but it was painful. Jack finally located them and entered, shooting with Ianto's gun – probably the only one he really knew where was hidden. It was more of a warning shot or to make the alien bleed rather than a killing shot. The alien didn't have as much compassion and let Tosh go – whom he had been holding for a while to scare the two others – only to jump on Jack and violently hit him in the stomach. Jack growled, tried to defend himself, but soon fell to the ground with a cry of pain.

Tosh reacted and instantly shot the threat. The alien died instantly but Jack was still breathing heavily on the ground. When Tosh approached him, she saw the hole in his shirt where the alien had hit him, and his hair were painted in blood. He didn't have any visible wound however, but clearly was dying.

"What the hell was this?" Jack managed to ask from the ground. He straightened, his face closed from any emotion and trying not to flinch or faint.

"He told us he wanted to end the Universe. By killing you," Tosh explained.

"It was a crazy psychopath," Owen shook his head.

Jack nodded and waved at Owen, who helped him up, but he didn't let go and tightened his grip. Owen didn't say anything and helped him walk back to the main room, leaving both Gwen and Tosh the care of cleaning the mess up.

When they joined them, Owen was busy at his workstation and Jack's office was closed. Apparently, he had asked Owen to let him rest because his death had been exhausting. The team took care of everything, they cleaned the blooded floor, did the autopsy on the alien, concluded – or hoped – it was a unique case and even filed everything away, so Ianto wouldn't have to do it once he got back.  
Owen hesitated to check on Jack, who still hadn't come back after a couple of hours, but decided to leave, asking Tosh to contact him if needed as she stayed back a little longer. Gwen left not long after.  
When Tosh was done with her work for the day, Jack was still locked in his office and she decided to knock. She entered when nobody answered and frowned at the smell. It stank, and she wondered what Jack had been doing in the past few hours. She called him, but he didn't answer, and eventually heard him puking in his bunker.

"Jack, are you okay down there?" she called, loud enough so he would hear her.

"I'm fine, go home," Jack answered, his voice muffled by the closed bathroom's door. Tosh could nevertheless hear how weak he sounded. She sighed and decided to disobey Jack's first order of the day – which was to leave Ianto alone. He was away for the day, visiting his sister because his niece had gone to the hospital after some stupid accident and Ianto hadn't been able to refuse. And Jack had forbidden anyone to disturb him. But it was already late, and Tosh was sure Ianto wouldn't mind. So she left quietly and called Ianto, explaining that Jack really didn't feel good.

* * *

When Ianto took the ladder down to Jack's headquarters, he sighed. Tosh had briefly explained the situation and apologized, but Ianto had thanked her then sent her home. He opened the bathroom's door slowly, and felt his heart dropping when he saw Jack on the ground, leaning on the toilets, dead. He gathered him in his arms, ignoring the blood and puke around, and wondered what was wrong with Jack.

When Jack came back to life, he coughed blood and pushed Ianto away right on time to turn and throw up on the ground rather than on the man. Ianto put a soothing hand on Jack's back, patting it when Jack coughed for a while, until he finally spat a strange-looking object. He tried to take it, but was too weak, and Ianto carefully put it in a towel, hoping the thing wasn't going to jump at them – one never knew, with Torchwood

"How about a shower and I get you to bed?" Ianto asked as Jack sighed, now sitting against the cold concrete that his walls were.

Ianto smiled to show his support and helped Jack on his feet and out of his clothes. He got rid of his own clothes and stepped in the surprisingly big shower. Jack didn't move at all. He let Ianto move him, turn him, wash him, kiss him. Jack just leaned on the wall and waited.

Ianto had already seen Jack vulnerable, he knew what to do or not, and as he set him on the mattress, he knew that Jack needed to talk, but wouldn't if Ianto didn't push him. He closed the bathroom's door, activated the ventilation to make the stench go and sprayed some good-smelling product in the meantime. He then sat against the wall and Jack turned instantly to cuddle close.

"What was this thing?" Ianto asked, drawing a regular pattern with his finger on Jack's shoulder.

Jack muttered an answer that Ianto didn't understand.

"What?"

"Alien tech," Jack said, moving a bit so Ianto could understand him properly. "There are ways of defying death for a while or very easy ways to fake it. It's a counter-agent. A lot fake their own death just to avoid a death penalty, so they usually use this to check. Generally injected by a good punch, it stays in you until your body rejects it and it usually doesn't do any good to you. It makes you slowly bleed inside and die, in at least a couple of days. It's alien, it just sort of... clean your body. Of course, for someone like me it just means a lot of blood and a mess... I guess he thought it could kill me or somehow delete the 'keep reviving' factor..."

"Are you okay?" Ianto asked, filing the information away but knowing that Jack was done with the long talking.

"Better," Jack nodded against him.

"Sleep it off."

"I'm sorry."

"What for?" Ianto frowned. Jack had done nothing wrong, why was he apologizing?

"Didn't want Tosh to call you..."

"It's okay, I won't miss anything important."

"How's Mica?" Jack asked to change the subject.

"She asked me to draw on her cast," Ianto smiled.

"What did you do?"

"Well, I drew, obviously! Turns out, I'm as bad a drawer as I was back in high school. I wrote Torchwood everywhere to leave hints for my family. Maybe they won't see anything..."

Jack chuckled weakly against him then kissed his ribs. "Thank you," he whispered and Ianto ran a hand in his hair, humming thoughtfully as he tried to come up with something to reply, but said nothing.

He eventually talked randomly about his day, about Johnny's anger and constant complaints about how his daughter was not being taken care of, about Mica teasing and enjoying the fact she could annoy David as much as she wanted, about Rhiannon's worry but relief to see both her daughter being fine and her brother for once. Before Ianto was done talking, Jack had fallen asleep.

Ianto smiled, kissed him on the hair, and very slowly and carefully got out of the bed. He sighed when he managed to not wake up Jack and silently entered the bathroom. He winced at the smell and got to work. He cleaned and tidied the room and wiped the blood away.

It wasn't the worst threat they had dealt with, but Ianto could tell that Jack was more affected by this one. Not emotionally, but physically, which was rather unusual for Jack, a man with the painful habit of dying.

Ianto finished with the cleaning then took another shower and got back to bed, watching his lover sleep. He wondered what it felt like, to keep coming back, to be unable to die, to _know_ it was a permanent thing. He wondered what it felt like to experience so many things and still be standing like Jack was, defending a planet that probably deserved its downfall, protecting its people but never, _never_ being able to find something stable. Always moving, always losing, always caring. He respected the man, and loved him.


	14. Day 9: False Alarm

_Written for Torchwood Fest, Day Nine: "False Alarm"_

 **Day Nine - False Alarm**

Tosh panicked and tapped her comm as her monitors were going crazy.

"Owen, Ianto! Go back to the Hub immediately, we have a huge Rift activity!" she almost yelled. Jack ran out of his office, asking her what was happening.

As the two men hadn't gone very far, they were back within minutes and they all waited for Tosh who was typing fast on her computer's keyboard. Gwen walked to them at some point and pointed at the computer.

"Is anybody watching the news? It's in London, not Cardiff," she explained, typing something to show a TV channel broadcasting London's new alien threat.

"Oh," Tosh said, almost disappointed. Probably because she hadn't noticed it sooner. "Should we do something? If the Rift picked up activity..."

"It's nothing too hard for them, and if they need help, UNIT is closer. Let them deal with it," Jack shrugged. "It probably went through the Rift and straight to London."

"What about the Weevil sighting?"

"Gwen, go check with Owen. Tosh, go rest, I'm sure you need it."

"What about Ianto?" Owen asked as they were all getting ready to leave.

"Well, Ianto should stay here... just in case..."

"Just say you want to bang the tea-boy," Owen mumbled.

"I want to bang the tea-boy," Jack grinned, and pouted when Ianto hit him in the arm.

"You deserved it," Tosh laughed before the door closed on them.

It was a better way to end the day than the world ending, for once.


	15. Day 10: Favourite Alien

_Thanks ceywoozle for betaying this!_

 _Written for Torchwood Fest, Day Ten: "Favourite Alien"_

 **Day Ten - Favourite Alien**

Ianto patted Myfanwy's head and gently, without hurting him, she took his arm into her beak. Ianto didn't try to pull back as she tended to do this every now and then. He probably took it as a sign of affection or a desire to play, but in truth, Myfanwy was trying to communicate.

These kind humans had given her a home, had fed her, and even if she couldn't understand a word they were saying, she knew they had no intention of hurting her. She was happy to be kept by them and had even defended them a few times.

So maybe Ianto's arm in her beak was a sign of affection, as well. She actually quite liked him. He spoke to her every time he came to see her, and he did that almost every day. He brought her dark chocolate, too, and she really liked that.

But not even Ianto tried to _really_ communicate with her, which was frustrating. They spoke to her and she would sometimes answer them in her own language, which none of them could understand.

At first she had wanted to ask them to send her back from where she came from, but then she had realised that she actually liked it here. She had food and the team liked her and looked after her, so now she just wanted to help them and tell them what she really was. Which was not some dinosaur from ancient Earth times. Rather, she was the result of an experiment led by alien scientists who had been working with those ancient reptiles, but in the end she was more alien than dinosaur, and she had fallen through the rift after an accident in the lab. This team was nicer than the last one, and they had even given her a name she liked. Well, Ianto always repeated it so it was probably a name they had given her.

She also liked Jack a lot. He was different from the others and she liked his grins. He always seemed so happy around the team, but once everyone else had left for the day, he sometimes broke down. On those days, Myfanwy would fly down in front of the window of his office to try to show her support, but after a while Ianto had started to remain, as well, so she had only come down to the main area to remind them she was there.

She was happy in Torchwood. But still, she wasn't a pterodactyl.


	16. Day 10: Rivalry

_I've always loved their friendship ;)_

 _Written for Torchwood Fest, Day Ten: "Rivalry"_

 **Day Ten - Rivalry**

Ianto was going through some files when Owen tapped his fingers on his desk. He looked up, acknowledged the man's presence with a nod, then got back to his work.

"Okay the girls went home, how about we head to my local?"

"What?" Ianto asked, frowning.

"Well do you want to come? You're always here, just chill for one evening. The world's not going to end, and you can set an alarm on your PDA. Come on, I just want to grab a drink. Is that bad?"

"With me?" Ianto said sceptically.

"Yeah, with you."

"Why?" he asked, genuinely surprised that Owen would think of him to hang out. They weren't in the best terms and if Jack leaving without a note had forced them to work together a bit more, Ianto still had shot him less than a couple of weeks before, which Owen never hesitated to remind him.

"God, just accept," Owen sighed. "I'm fine if you don't come but I thought we could... Oh, forget about it."

"No, it's okay. It might do me some good to leave the Hub."

Ianto hadn't said it to anyone, but he slept at the Hub since Jack had left. He didn't want anything to happen while everyone was out, and he didn't sleep much anyway, so a quick nap on the couch before the other arrived in the morning allowed him to keep going for the day.

He turned off the Hub for the night and walked out with Owen, both silent. Ianto really had no idea why Owen had thought about him, of all people, to hang out with, and wondered if he had ulterior thoughts, but he couldn't think of what.

They were silent for a part of the night, drinking an entire pint before Owen eventually spoke. "So, how are you holding?"

"Who's asking?"

"I don't know," Owen answered and it seemed honest. The silence that followed was awkward and Owen sighed. "I feel like we have a problem communicating."

"Maybe because we're both not much of talkers."

"No, I mean, really."

"I don't know, Owen. Maybe because we're the two guys in the team."

"Why would that be a problem? And there's Jack."

"Jack's different."

"True. But still, why is it a problem?"

"Because you need to..." Ianto began, but didn't quite finish his sentence.

"I need to...?"

"Feel superior," he shrugged. "You're just like this. I'm not saying that I mind or that it's wrong, but it doesn't help."

"Well you're not helping either," Owen grumbled. It wasn't an argument at all but it was Owen, Ianto didn't expect more.

"Meaning?"

"I don't know, looking good in those damn suits."

"Are you jealous?" The thought seemed absurd.

"Of you? No," Owen scoffed.

"And you got Gwen, you shouldn't even think of me as concurrence. I wouldn't do that."

"You got into Jack's pants."

"That's not something good. He ran off."

"Well Gwen's in a relationship. You shot me."

"You disobeyed direct orders."

"You hid someone for weeks."

"I loved Lisa."

"Loved? You cheated on her."

"Love. I never cheated on her."

"Are you sure? Anyway, my shoulder still hurts. And that cyberwoman knocked me off."

"I don't know. Poor boy, you need a kiss?"

"Fuck you," Owen grumbled, breaking their verbal sparring.

"Don't play the 'whose life is more miserable?' game, you'd be surprised," Ianto rolled his eyes.

"Secrets to hide?"

"Not really. You?"

"None."

"Why are we doing this?"

"Team bonding. I was engaged once," Owen said. That one threw Ianto off. He knew most of Torchwood employees' life, but Owen had never talked about this directly. "She died," Owen added when he saw that Ianto wasn't answering.

"Lisa died. Twice, in a way."

"She had an alien in her brain."

"I fought during the Canary Wharf battle."

"I helped survivors out of Canary Wharf."

"You didn't help me."

"You were too busy betraying your country."

"I was one of the twenty-seven survivors."

"You still ran away."

"We're eighteen survivors now."

"But you survived and found a new life. Are you happy?"

"So all of this to ask me that?" Ianto smiled.

"Not really. Are you?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I've got an annoying colleague, a lover that's gone, and a confused mind to make work. I also have to keep running the Hub while Gwen and the same annoying colleague I already mentioned – that's you, in case you were wondering – are fighting over who would lead when this isn't the question."

"What's the question then?"

"Questions. Will Jack come back? When? Can we keep running Torchwood without him? Do we need to hire someone new? How to share the job so everyone still work efficiently? Who should be the leader because we still need someone with a stronger vote in a matter? Was Jack hiding anything we should know about? Should we establish turns to watch the Hub? Do we say that Jack is gone? Do we wait? If so, how long? Can I keep lying to the Queen forever? To UNIT? Should I keep going, or have you had enough?"

"Bloody hell, you're working too hard..." Owen stuttered, in awe.

"I'm trying to keep the Hub running. While you're arguing over who deserves to command."

"And what do you think of that particular matter?"

"Tosh is competent, but not a leader. You're too stubborn and disorganised to be the boss. You'd rely too much on each of our advices, only to ignore them in the end. Gwen is too stubborn and wants to know too much, but at least she's able to lead and doesn't ignore our opinions. Well she sometimes does, but not as much as you," Ianto shrugged. If Owen had decided to be honest, he would be too.

"Fair enough. _You_ could make a great leader."

Ianto smiled but shook his head. "I don't want it."

"So we should let Gwen lead?"

"Not lead all by herself. We're a team. But basically, yeah, she could lead."

"That's smart."

"It hadn't crossed your mind?"

"Not really..."

"Oh my God Owen, you're worse than I'd have thought."

"Humpf. I was shot, I'm still confused sometimes."

"Will you ever stop?" Ianto rolled his eyes. "You're worse than a five years old."

Owen didn't answer but sipped at his new and third pint, whereas Ianto had stopped drinking. After a moment of a more pleasant silence than before, Owen looked at Ianto again.

"Okay. But my father died when I was twenty-two."

"I was seventeen," Ianto rolled his eyes, not even knowing why he was picking up on Owen's stupid game. "And my mother died a few months ago."

"Oh fuck it," Owen dramatically sighed. "Well you've got a shittier life than me, happy?"

"Very," Ianto answered ironically. "I'll be heading home now if you don't need me," he continued, standing up.

"Did you love him?" Owen nevertheless asked before he could walk away.

Ianto knew the question had been burning Owen's lips for a while now, and he almost ignored him, but chose to answer. "Maybe I do," he shrugged.

"I'm sorry he left."

"It's none of our fault. I'm fine, Owen."

"Yeah like I cared," Owen scoffed in his drink. "See you."

"Good night," Ianto smiled politely.

For the first time in a long time, Ianto actually went back to his flat alone, where he slept but didn't rest. And he tried to appreciate Owen a bit more, and Owen tried as well, even if none of them said anything, and maybe their team-working improved a bit.


	17. Day 11: Friendship

_Thanks ceywoozle who beta'd this one :D_

 _Written for Torchwood Fest, Day Eleven: "Friendship"_

 **Day Eleven- Friendship**

Toshiko yawned and was considering taking a nap – or going home – when a mug appeared by her elbow. She rubbed her eyes, as if she couldn't believe the coffee was on her desk, but there it was. When Toshiko turned, Ianto was already gone and she couldn't see him anywhere. She frowned as she looked down at the mug again and saw a piece of paper stuck underneath it. She smiled at the little note ("Finish this quickly and go home :)", Ianto was young and using smileys, which always made her smile) and it gave her enough energy to finish her work.

The Hub was quiet, except for the few constant noises – computers beeping, water running, papers rustling, footsteps, Myfawny squawking in her nest – but the team was working. Tosh quietly at her workstation, Owen and Gwen on the field, Jack on some paperwork at his desk, Ianto doing whatever needed to be done before someone could even notice it needed to be done, in his usual quiet and efficient way. Although Tosh hadn't heard him walk past her for a while now...

As she turned to Jack's office to inform her boss she was leaving, she noticed that Ianto was actually on the couch behind her. She hadn't heard him come and sit there and hadn't even heard him working, but there he was. Not that he was still working as the papers he had been holding were now on the floor and he was clearly sleeping.

Tosh smiled softly and turned off her computer, then took a blanket to carefully cover Ianto with. Ianto stirred in his sleep, moved a bit, but only to cuddle with the blanket, and did not awake. Tosh left him alone, silently walking to Jack's office, and had to contain a laugh when she saw him sleeping at his desk. He had clearly dozed off while working as he still was holding a pen and Tosh could see some papers under his head. She turned off the light as quietly as she could, but it still startled Jack awake, making him jump. He straightened up suddenly and looked around, lost.

"Ianto?" He whispered, still sleepily.

Tosh shook her head with a smile. "It's just me, Jack," she said. "Sorry to wake you up."

"Is there a problem? Where's Ianto?" He asked and as much as he tried to sound like the leader, instantly ready to leave on a mission, he actually sounded exhausted. He didn't want any bad news.

She took pity on him and answered quickly, "don't worry, he's safe and sound and playing sleeping beauty on the couch. I put a blanket on him."

Jack relaxed with a sigh and rubbed his neck. "Thanks, Tosh," he said.

"What for?" She asked without thinking, not used to Jack thanking her for something as small as this.

"All your work," Jack sighed. He got up, stood in front of her and stroked her cheek. "You really are a genius and a beautiful person." They looked at each other, Jack very honest and almost vulnerable, and Tosh lost because she knew what Jack thought but he rarely ever expressed it as clearly as this.

Jack smiled and kissed her forehead. He then grinned, back to his usual self. "You go home, I'll take Ianto to bed," he winked. "Thank you for taking care of him."

"He looks cute when he sleeps," she replied, smiling, knowing Jack would have a ready answer.

"That he does!"

"Let him rest, Jack," she warned him, even though she was still smiling.

"If he wakes up I'll wear him out again right away, promise," Jack replied proudly and Tosh rolled her eyes as Ianto wasn't there to do so. She was pretty sure she had gotten the habit from him, anyway.

They walked to the couch and Tosh took her handbag and found her car keys.

"Good night," she whispered, and Jack nodded to her, kneeling in front of Ianto. He put a hand on Ianto's knee and gently shook him, but Ianto only groaned and turned in his sleep. Jack chuckled lightly and straightened up to kiss his hair, then his cheek. He said something that Tosh couldn't hear, but she could see the smile on Jack's face and the next time he bent to kiss Ianto, Ianto sleepily kissed him back. She thought Ianto was definitely awake enough for him to not be startled by the noise of the cog-roll door.

She left with a sweet smile, inwardly thanking Jack for getting her out of the shithole she had been in and for saving her. She liked her job most of the time. She had colleagues that had become friends, she had even fallen for one of them. And another of those colleagues was now her best friend, her confidant, and for once in her life she felt useful. Jack had seen her potential, her intelligence, and had wanted her to use it for the greater good – well, mostly. All in all, Toshiko Sato was happy with her life.


	18. Day 11: An Under-appreciated Character

_Thanks ceywoozle who gave me the idea!_

 _Written for Torchwood Fest, Day Eleven: "An under-appreciated character"_

 **Day Eleven - An Under-Appreciated Character**

Johnny ruffled his son's hair while he was yelling through the house that he was going out. Nobody answered, and David shrugged to show he didn't know where the two girls were, so he just left. The day at work had been mostly boring and he needed to think about something else. Well, all of this was an excuse to go to the bar with his friends, but it felt like a good one. That, and it was a rugby game night, which meant drinks and buddies.

As he made his way to his local, Danny and Tom joined him. Alun and Dewey were already waiting for them inside, and the three friends didn't lose any time to join them.

The game was rather disappointing – meaning that Wales lost – but they defended their team until the very end and at least said that they gave a good game. Maybe they insinuated that England had cheated, as well...

The evening didn't stop there nevertheless and the little group of friends – plus one, a very proud and loud Welsh supporter that had joined them – kept drinking and talking. Johnny was having fun, not thinking about his everyday life but having a good moment with his friends, certainly not thinking about his brother-in-law. Which of course had nothing to do with his evening, but they were talking about gays or bis and Johnny hadn't been paying much attention, but then Alun said something along the lines of "they should keep their disease for themselves" while speaking about the fact of being gay, and Johnny tensed.

He was the first teasing someone if they weren't heterosexual, and he had laughed when Rhiannon – his wife – had told him about Ianto – his brother-in-law – being gay. Well, she had said that he maybe was seeing a man, but it had quickly been turned into him being gay, even if he probably wasn't gay. Anyway, Johnny had teased him – indirectly as he hadn't seen Ianto in ages – and joked about it. And if it hadn't bothered him the very least that Ianto was seeing a man, it didn't bother him to joke about it either. So he was himself surprised when he put his glass a bit too abruptly and cleared his throat.

"You shouldn't say this," he heard himself say, and would have liked to slap himself just to shut up. Was he really going to defend homosexuals? Everything was possible, after all.

"What?" Danny laughed. "Something to tell us?"

"Well, we all know someone like this."

"What's your point?" Alun asked as Johnny was inwardly wondering the same thing.

"I'm just saying there's no need to insult anyone. For all we know someone in the bar could be gay and hear you."

"In this bar? They've all dragged their gay arses to a disgusting gay club. There are only real people here," Alun laughed. Tom shook his head disapprovingly but Danny nodded.

"Don't say this. They're like you and me, human beings that drink and watch TV and build a life..."

"Are you saying I'm a fag?!"

"I didn't say this at all. But they deserve..."

"They deserve to die!" Alun exclaimed and everyone stared at him. Danny moved back a bit, to show he was not taking Alun's side any more. and Johnny got up instantly.

"What did you say?"

Alun stared at him then decided to let go. "Nothing," he grumbled.

"I'm leaving," Johnny said, grabbing his coat from the chair.

He ignored the others' protestations and walked out of the bar, going home. He was pissed off, at Alun and himself, and disappointed in Alun. He had never been his closest friend, but he had just lost every ounce of affection he had ever felt towards him. He hadn't meant to defend the homosexual cause like this, but had realised that he didn't like people talking about them that harshly. Or maybe it was because someone in his – Rhiannon's – family was one of them and he didn't want anyone to insult Rhiannon. Because even if he wouldn't build Ianto a temple, he still was family, and Johnny had realised he didn't mind him being gay – or just seeing another man. As long as Rhiannon was happy, he was okay with whatever the man wanted to be.


	19. Day 12: Do Whatever You Want

_Written for Torchwood Fest, Day Twelve: "Do whatever you want"_

 **Day Twelve - Do Whatever You Want**

Ianto stiffened as Jack stretched a hand to him with a small smile.

"May I **ask** you this **dance**?" Jack said, his expression neutral.

"I **can't** \- I- We **aren't** here for this..." Ianto tried to say, but Jack shushed him and Ianto had no other choice than to follow him when Jack **grasped** his hand, almost painfully. As they walked **past** Tosh, busy with the **castle's** **staff** , Ianto tried to call for help, but she simply ignored him.

They had arrived to **France** two days before, and **after** spending the **last** twenty-four hours with his **aunt** – at some degree, on his **father's** side – Ianto was exhausted. But work didn't wait and he had joined Jack and Tosh in a French **castle** for an important meeting as soon as possible. It was more diplomatic than anything else, which implied boring conferences and talks. Usually, Ianto was politely listening and taking notes, but this time he had been drinking a bit too much, on an almost empty stomach and with only a couple of hours of sleep. **Enhance** his reticence at dancing with Jack. In other words, Ianto Jones had been **fast** drunk, and the worst thing was that he had mainly been drinking a **nasty** cocktail with **almond** and **raspberry**. Really not that great.

 **After** dancing a bit with Jack, Ianto managed to convince him to stop and sat for a while, taking **advantages** of a moment of **calm**.

He put back on a professional **mask** , or **half** of one, as alcohol was still clouding his mind, and got up when he saw someone heading his way. The man represented the second **branch** of Torchwood – Scotland – and Ianto stumbled on his feet. He managed to notice he was accompanied by someone Ianto didn't know, and just stood there.

"On **behalf** of the German's **Chancellor** , I thank you for your presence." Ianto didn't **answer** but almost spat in the **glass** of water he was holding. He was completely wasted and talking to the German's **chancellor** representative probably wouldn't be helping him. He forced his mind back to the difficult **task** at hand – talking, yes.

Jack saved him by dragging him away, to a UNIT colonel that Ianto knew because he often talked to him on the phone.

"And what strange curse did you **cast** on the poor sod?" He asked Jack after a few minutes, seeing how Ianto looked like he was off somewhere else. Jack **laughed**.

"Not some sort of **witchcraft** , I may assure you. You'll get better **chance** by calling it being drunk," he winked.

Ianto mumbled something that nobody understood and left them alone, not wanting to be with someone from UNIT – it looked too much like a day at work. He left, a bit in **advance** , to go outside for a while.

When he came back, the two Torchwood employees seemed to have gone back to their rooms. Ianto pouted, sad that Jack hadn't waited for him, and made his way to the bedroom they had been attributed for the week. He might have been dressed very well, but he walked with no such **class** and tripped more than once. When he finally knocked at the door, Tosh opened in her **pyjamas** , and Ianto frowned. Wrong room, apparently.

"Heyy..." he still said, trying to keep a steady voice.

Tosh smiled. "How was you evening? Mine was crazy, I was talking to this man, and it was a **disaster**! He seemed interested but after a while, the **bastard** just gave me a **sample** of some alien **plant** and **demanded** for Owen to analyse it... Also have you seen the **ranch**? It's **rather** **vast**! I saw some **calves** there, they were so adorable! Are you okay?"

Ianto liked when she talked like this, but he was in no state of listening and didn't register what she was saying.

A **laughter** from behind them cut him in his thoughts, and he turned with a smile because he knew Jack was there. Jack shook his head, wished Tosh a good night, and took Ianto into the right bedroom, taking Ianto's hand to drag him to the **bathroom**. He gave him a cup of fresh water and smiled.

"Was it necessary?"

"It sure was fun," Ianto grinned.

"Won't be in the morning," Jack sighed.

"I've had worse," Ianto shrugged, sipping at his cup.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yup. For **example** , I once had to run from the cops, drunk. We had to climb some wall, it was pretty funny!" Ianto exclaimed, proud of that one time.

He then licked his lips and winked at Jack, who growled. Jack took the plastic cup from Ianto's hand to throw it in the **basket** bin then turned to Ianto, shoving him against the **plaster** wall. The **contrast** between the pain of bumping his head against the wall and the pleasure of Jack kissing his neck made Ianto **gasp** and moan. He pushed him to take things further, except that Jack stumbled against the **bath** tub, and they both almost fell backwards. They **laughed** as they made their way to the bedroom, way more comfortable than the **bathroom** , tripping on the **path**. Ianto **commanded** Jack not to move as he threw him on the bed and **unfastened** his shirt quickly.

Ianto rolled his eyes, **exasperated** , when Jack didn't obey, but let it **pass** for once and kissed him hard, blocking Jack's arms under his own legs just to tease him.


	20. Day 12: Collaboration

_Written for Torchwood Fest, Day Twelve: "Collaborate with someone"_

 _Torchwood has a special place in my heart and I'm glad I could participate in this Festival to show how much I love this show. It was great to see everyone's participations, and I have yet to read most of the fics! I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did!_

 **Happy 10th birthday Torchwood!**

 **Day Twelve - Collaboration**

[ **Plume-now** drew this (on tumblr) " yumenofude dot tumblr dot com/ post /152150977010 " (well FF, you know the drill, suppress spaces and put . instead of dot ;D) so I wrote something about it for the Torchwood Fest! Thank you again for participating in this]

Jack loved a lot of things about Ianto. Maybe he even loved him, but that was another matter and he would probably never admit it. Jack loved Ianto's suits and he loved how good he looked in them. He loved his coffee and watching him brew it. He loved his hands, he loved his lips, he loved his sarcasm, he loved his voice, he loved his kisses, he loved his caresses, he loved the way he listened to him, he loved how good he looked while working, he even loved when he started to get angry. But above all, what Jack Harkness loved about Ianto Jones was his smile. Not his laugh; his smile. It was much more important for Jack to make Ianto smile. He loved Ianto's laugh, as well, of course, but it was Ianto's smile he lived for. Not the impeccable, professional smile, or the slightly amused one, but the genuinely happy smile. The one Jack had first noticed one day when Ianto had been talking to Tosh. The two of them had become close friends and ever since Jack had first seen that most adorable of smiles on Ianto's face, he had been trying to get Ianto to smile that way as often as he could. He hadn't managed many, but every single one that he did get, he treasured. Ianto was a beautiful man, but his smile made him even more so.

When Jack told Ianto this, Ianto smiled that happy smile again, and Jack knew he would do whatever he could to never forget it.


End file.
